Art of Japan brought to the big screen

As the weather turns ever so slightly cooler, open-air cinema nights become less frequent. Yet evenings with film screenings are still happening and in November, several are taking place. One annual initiative of the Embassy of Japan will bring Japanese film screenings to audiences in Nicosia and Limassol.

Just a handful of films will be showcased, each screened just once. Three of the screenings will take place at the Pantheon Theatre in Nicosia and one at the Rialto Theatre in Limassol. What’s more, admission will be free for all and subtitles will be in English.

First to be screened is the animation Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko which will be on Pantheon Theatre’s big screen on November 7 at 7pm. The film is a heart-warming and moving comedy-drama of an unconventional family, a mother and daughter who live their lives to the fullest.

The next film screening will be in Limassol at Rialto Theatre, showing the comedy, family drama Ora Ora Be Goin’ Alone on November 14. The film’s protagonist is Momoko, a 75-year-old who lives alone after her husband’s death. Every day she drags herself out of bed, eats breakfast, mutters to herself in front of the TV, eats lunch, takes a walk around the neighbourhood, makes dinner and goes to sleep. One day she borrows books from the neighborhood library and Momoko’s lonely life turns merry and delightful.

Then, on November 21, Pantheon will screen the action-comedy Office Royale about Naoko Tanaka, a 26-year-old office lady fighting the norm to enter office cliques until one day her company is targeted by office ladies from all over Japan.

Ending the screenings is the fantasy drama It’s a Summer Film! which will be screened on November 28 in Nicosia. In the film, high-school student Hadashi adores samurai movies and Japanese costume dramas, so much so that she writes a movie and casts stranger Rintaro to star in it, only to discover he is a time traveller from the future.

Japanese Film Screenings

Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko. November 7. Pantheon Theatre, Nicosia. 7pm. Ora Ora Be Goin’ Alone. November 14. Rialto Theatre, Limassol. office Royal. November 21. It’s a Summer Film. November 28. Pantheon Theatre, Nicosia.  Doors open at 7pm. Films start at 7.30pm. In Japanese with English subtitles. Free. www.facebook.com/JPembCY