IT'S ME HERE, BELLET & 8 Osamu Tezuka experimental shorts coming to Japan Society on February 20th

It's Me Here, Bellett © 1964 Directors Guild of Japan.

It’s Me Here, Bellett / Watashi no Beretto

Directed by Nagisa Oshima

When: Friday, February 20, 2015 at 7:00 PM

Where Japan Society

333 East 47th Street, NYC

(Between 1st and 2nd Avenues)

Map

U.S. Premiere

One of the few films produced by the Directors Guild of Japan was a promotional film for the Isuzu Bellett- a sedan car that began manufacture in Japan in 1963. Starting with Yasujiro Ozu as advisor to the script, the credits include a slew of A-list film directors such as Heinosuke Gosho and Yoshitaro Nomura with a hip jazz soundtrack by jazz pianist and composer Hachidai Nakamura (also famous for being the composer of the hit song "Sukiyaki"). This mid-length movie is composed of 3 parts, each featuring the Bellett prominently. Each part utilizes different colors to produce different moods, with part 2 starring Akiko Koyama, Oshima’s wife. Originally made for television, It's Me Here, Bellett is a must-watch for Oshima fans as this will be the first ever official screening in the U.S.

The Oshima film will be preceded by 8 Experimental Shorts by Osamu Tezuka. The grandfather of anime and creator of legendary works such as Astro Boy and Buddha, Tezuka also made experimental shorts to explore the possibilities of animation. Series curator John Zorn selects 8 of his favorite shorts to precede It's Me Here, Bellett.

Tickets:  $12/$9 Japan Society members, seniors & students

For more information about the program, including descriptions of the Tezuka experimental shorts, and to purchase tickets, click here.

Part of The Dark Side of the Sun: John Zorn on Japanese Cinema film series.