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Join us for a free screening of Wim Wenders’ documentary Tokyo-Ga as part of a film season examining society in Japan through the lens of food and everyday life. This accompanies Japan House London’s exhibition Looks Delicious! Exploring Japan’s food replica culture.Tokyo-Ga, directed by acclaimed German filmmaker Wim Wenders in 1985, is both a tribute to and a search for the spirit of Wenders’ cinematic inspiration, Ozu Yasujirō. In visiting Tokyo two decades after Ozu’s death, Wenders seeks to discover whether Ozu’s calm, reflective approach to life and film still lives on in the rapidly transforming city. What he encounters, however, is a Tokyo engulfed in the relentless energy of material desire and urban development, very far from Ozu’s world of subtle simplicity.
Wenders transforms his film into a meditation on the act of observing everyday life, coming to terms with the changes both Tokyo and cinema have undergone since Ozu’s time. The film features poignant conversations with figures close to Ozu’s legacy, including his frequent collaborator, actor Ryū Chishū, and long-term cinematographer Atsuta Yūharu, whose reflections honour the director’s ability to capture life’s quiet moments and the spirit of an evolving metropolis.
Central to the documentary is Wenders’ immersion in Tokyo’s bustling districts, from pachinko parlours to food replica workshops. These food models, crafted with painstaking attention to detail, embody both artistry and cultural preservation, much like Ozu’s approach to his films. At the workshop, Wenders captures the labour-intensive process of creating food replicas, which mirrors the making of real food in terms of time and care.
With its impressive imagery and intense camera work, Tokyo-Ga captivates the viewer by often allowing scenes to unfold without dialogue or narration: Wenders offers a heartfelt homage to Ozu, which reveals the depth of his own creative spirit, his love for the city of Tokyo and the master’s enduring legacy.
The screenings are in Japanese with English subtitles. Duration: approx.92 mins.
Booking Essential | Admission Free
Booking opens on 29 January at 10:15.
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
101-111 Kensington High Street, W8 5SA London, United Kingdom, 101 Kensington High Street, London, W8 4, United Kingdom,London, United Kingdom
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