The Japan Foundation have set up a series of free events celebrating the publication of the book Tanaka Kinuyo: Nation, Stardom and Female Subjectivity. There will be a film screening as well as a book launch. Both will be important for understanding an important figure in pre- and post-war Japanese cinema.
Tanaka is considered a legendary actress not least because she starred in around 250 films from the 1930s onwards. She became something of a big box-office draw working with Ozu, Heinosuke Gosho and Kenji Mizoguchi, Kinoshita, Mikio Naruse and many more and her credits include films like Ugetsu (1952) and Sansho the Bailiff (1954) as two examples. Tanaka is also credited as being the second Japanese woman to work as a director, the most famous of her films at the moment being The Eternal Breasts (1955) which was shown during a season of films dedicated the the leading ladies of Japanese cinema in London last year.
To introduce Tanaka to the wider world these events will launch at the end of the month. Here are more details from the Japan Foundation:
Join the Japan Foundation for a series of events celebrating the publication of “Tanaka Kinuyo: Nation, Stardom, and Female Subjectivity” a look at the legendary actor and of the first prominent female film directors in Japan.
A Screening of two of her films, The Wandering Princess and The Ballad of Narayama will be shown in London will accompany a book presentation event. For this book presentation and discussion, Dr Irene González-López and Dr Michael Smith as well as Dr Alexander Jacoby, Alejandra Armendáiz-Hernández and Prof. Ayako Saito (From Japan) will explore the life and achievements of Kinuyo Tanaka, one of the most celebrated stars in the history of Japanese cinema and as a female film maker.
There will be an opportunity to purchase the book, “Tanaka Kinuyo: Nation, Stardom and Female Subjectivity” after the event. Payment by cash only
The Wandering Princess (book tickets from Eventbrite)
Date: 29 November 2018 from 6:30pm
Venue: Prince Charles Cinema, 7 Leicester Pl, London, WC2N 6EZ
Book Presentation: For the book presentation and discussion, the editors of the publication, Dr Irene González-López and Dr Michael Smith as well as Dr Alexander Jacoby, Alejandra Armendáriz-Hernández and Prof. Ayako Saito (from Japan) will explore the life and achievement of Kinuyo Tanaka, one of the most celebrated stars in the history of Japanese cinema and as a female film maker.
There will be an opportunity to purchase the book, Tanaka Kinuyo: Nation, Stardom and Female Subjectivity” after the event. Payment by Cash only.
This event is free to attend, but booking is essential. Book your place via Eventbrite
The Ballad of Narayama (book tickets from Eventbrite)
Date: 1 December 2018 from 3:30pm
Venue: Curzon Cinema Soho, 99 Shaftesbury Ave, London, W1D 5DY