JFF Classics: Kwaidan


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SYNOPSIS

JFF Classics | Grief and Vengeance: Otherworldly Tales Japanese Film Festival Classics at The Astor Theatre presents a selection of films that unveil age-old ghost stories and chilling tales from the spirit realm. Grief and Vengeance features a line-up of films from master filmmaker Nobuo Nakagawa, who pioneered the Japanese horror film genre, along with Masaki Kobayashi and Satsuo Yamamoto. Beyond suspense-filled, psychological horrors, this selection of films offers a glimpse into traditional Japanese folklore and the spirit world spanning many eras. This free classics program is a satellite event of the annual Japanese Film Festival. The festival’s main program is ticketed, and screens at the Capitol Theatre and Treasury Theatre throughout November, offering the best in new releases and contemporary Japanese cinema. Presented by the Japan Foundation, Sydney, and made possible through the support of the Japan Foundation Film Library. Kwaidan: Masaki Kobayashi’s Kwaidan is an anthology of four separate, chilling tragedies of the supernatural and ghostly worlds. From a man on the brink of death who is saved by a snow goddess to an impoverished samurai who leaves his wife to marry a woman from a wealthier family, each unsettling story is depicted with colourful, surrealist imagery. Based on stories from Lafcadio Hearn’s collections of Japanese folk tales, Kwaidan received significant international recognition, including the Special Jury Prize at the 1965 Cannes Film Festival and an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film. Please note: Tickets will also be available in The Astor Theatre foyer from one hour before each screening.