From Friday, June 9 through Thursday, June 29, the Film Forum will host OZU 120, a three-week-long retrospective of all of the Japanese director and screenwriter Yasujirô Ozu’s existing work that marks both the 120th anniversary of his birth and the 60th anniversary of his passing.
Over 30 films, the majority in 35mm, from his 14 silent films that are still in existence are included in the retrospective, including I WAS BORN, BUT…, PASSING FANCY, DRAGNET GIRL, and more, all of which will be shown with live piano accompaniment by Steve Sterner.
About Yasujirô Ozu
Yasujir Ozu (1903–1963), the most revered director in his own nation, rose to fame in the West only after his passing at the age of 60. This greatest of all filmmakers specialized for the majority of his career in the unmistakably Japanese shomin-geki genre: straightforward tales about common people. Families, fathers, and fond memories of childhood and college life—much of which he had not personally experienced—were among his favorite subjects. He was estranged from his father at a young age and never married or went to college.
Ozu used some of the most unconventional and austere filmmaking methods ever: little to no camera movement, direct cuts between scenes, the constant low camera angle (also known as “the tatami shot,” taken from the eye level of a person sitting on a tatami mat), unpopulated “still life” shots connecting sequences—a deceptively straightforward approach that no other director has been able to imitate.
Screening Schedule for OZU 120:
LATE SPRING
Japan, 1949
Directed by Yasujirō Ozu
With Chishû Ryû, Setsuko Hara, Yumeji Tsukioka
Approx. 108 min. 35mm/4K DCP Restoration
Friday, June 9 at 12:15
Friday, June 9 at 5:20 (35mm)
Saturday, June 10 at 7:30 (35mm)
Sunday, June 11 at 7:00 (35mm)
Tuesday, June 13 at 2:30
Wednesday, June 28 at 12:30
Wednesday, June 28 at 5:30
TOKYO STORY
Japan, 1953
Directed by Yasujirō Ozu
With Setsuko Hara, Chishû Ryû, Chieko Higashiyama
Approx. 137 min.
35mm print courtesy of Japan Foundation/4K DCP Restoration
Friday, June 9 at 2:35
Friday, June 9 at 7:40 (35mm)
Saturday, June 10 at 12:15
Wednesday, June 14 at 12:30
Thursday, June 15 at 2:10
Sunday, June 18 at 7:55 (35mm)
Tuesday, June 20 at 12:30
Wednesday, June 21 at 12:30
Thursday, June 29 at 12:30
Thursday, June 29 at 8:10 (35mm)
THERE WAS A FATHER
Japan, 1942
Directed by Yasujirō Ozu
With Chishū Ryū
Approx. 87 min. 35mm.
Saturday, June 10 at 3:00
THE MUNEKATA SISTERS
Japan, 1950
Directed by Yasujirō Ozu
With Kinuyo Tanaka, Hideko Takamine, Ken Uehara
Approx. 112 min. 35mm print courtesy of Japan Foundation
Saturday, June 10 at 5:10
Monday, June 12 at 4:25
GOOD MORNING
Japan, 1959
Directed by Yasujirō Ozu
With Keiji Sada, Yoshiko Kuga, Chishû Ryû
Approx. 93 min. 35mm/DCP
Sunday, June 11 at 12:50
Monday, June 12 2:25
Tuesday, June 13 at 12:30
Wednesday, June 21 at 8:25 (35mm)
THE ONLY SON
Japan, 1936
Directed by Yasujirō Ozu
With Chôko Iida
Approx. 82 min. 35mm
Sunday, June 11 at 2:50
PASSING FANCY
Japan, 1933
Directed by Yasujirō Ozu
With Takeshi Sakamoto, Tomio Aoki aka Tokkan Kozō, Den Onihata, Nobuko Fushimi
Approx. 101 min. 35mm
Sunday, June 11 at 4:40 **
** With live piano accompaniment by Steve Sterner
A HEN IN THE WIND
Japan, 1948
Directed by Yasujirō Ozu
With Kinuyo Tanaka, Shûji Sano, Chieko Murata
Approx. 84 min. 35mm/4K DCP Restoration
Monday, June 12 at 12:30
Monday, June 12 at 8:40
Thursday, June 15 12:15
Saturday, June 17 at 3:00 (35mm)
DAYS OF YOUTH
Japan, 1929
Directed by Yasujirō Ozu
With Tatsuo Saitō, Junko Matsui
Approx. 103 min. 35mm
Monday, June 12 at 6:25 **
** With live piano accompaniment by Steve Sterner
RECORD OF A TENEMENT GENTLEMAN
Japan, 1947
Directed by Yasujirō Ozu
With Chôko Iida, Chishû Ryû, Hôhi Aoki, Takeshi Sakamoto
Approx. 72 min. 35mm
Tuesday, June 13 at 4:50
Thursday, June 15 at 4:55
Thursday, June 15 at 8:20
EQUINOX FLOWER
Japan, 1958
Directed by Yasujirō Ozu
With Shin Saburi, Kinuyo Tanaka, Ineko Arima
Approx. 118 min. 35mm/DCP
Wednesday, June 14 at 3:15
Wednesday, June 14 at 8:10
Saturday, June 17 at 12:30
Sunday, June 18 at 5:25 (35mm)
WALK CHEERFULLY
Japan, 1930
Directed by Yasujirō Ozu
With Minoru Takada, Hiroko Kawasaki
Approx. 96 min. 35mm
Wednesday, June 14 at 6:00 **
** With live piano accompaniment by Steve Sterner
THE LADY AND THE BEARD
Japan, 1931
Directed by Yasujirō Ozu
With Tokihiko Okada
Approx. 75 min. 35mm
Tuesday, June 15 at 6:35 **
** With live piano accompaniment by Steve Sterner
WHAT DID THE LADY FORGET?
Japan, 1937
Directed by Yasujirō Ozu
With Sumiko Kurishima, Tatsuo Saitô, Michiko Kuwano
Approx. 71 min. 35mm
Friday, June 16 at 12:30
Friday, June 16 at 5:35
THE FLAVOR OF GREEN TEA OVER RICE
Japan, 1952
Directed by Yasujirō Ozu
With Shin Saburi, Michiyo Kogure, Keiko Tsushima, Kôji Tsuruta
Approx. 166 min. 35mm/4K DCP Restoration
Friday, June 16 at 2:10
Friday, June 16 at 7:15 (35mm)
Saturday, June 17 at 4:55
Wednesday, June 21 3:15
EARLY SUMMER
Japan, 1951
Directed by Yasujirō Ozu
With Setsuko Hara, Chishû Ryû, Chikage Awashima
Approx. 145 min. 35mm/DCP
Saturday, June 17 at 8:10 (35mm)
Sunday, June 18 at 2:50
Monday, June 19 at 2:45
I WAS BORN, BUT…
Japan, 1932
Directed by Yasujirō Ozu
With Tomio Aoki aka Tokkan Kozō, Tatsuo Saitō
Approx. 90 min. 35mm
Sunday, June 18 at 11:00 ** (Part of Film Forum Jr.)
** With live piano accompaniment by Steve Sterner
I GRADUATED, BUT…
Japan, 1929
Directed by Yasujirō Ozu
Written by Hiroshi Shimizu
With Kinuyo Tanaka
Approx. 10 min. 35mm
– With –
I FLUNKED, BUT…
Japan, 1929
Directed by Yasujirō Ozu
Written by Kôgo Noda
With Tatsuo Saitō, Tomio Aoki aka Tokkan Kozō, Kinuyo Tanaka
Approx. 65 min. 35mm
Sunday, June 18 at 1:00 **
** With live piano accompaniment by Steve Sterner
THE BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF THE TODA FAMILY
Japan, 1941
Directed by Yasujirō Ozu
With Mieko Takamine, Shin Saburi, Hideo Fujino
Approx. 105 min. 35mm
Monday, June 19 at 12:30
Monday, June 19 at 7:50
I WAS BORN, BUT…
Japan, 1932
Directed by Yasujirō Ozu
Starring Tomio Aoki aka Tokkan Kozō, Tatsuo Saitō
Approx. 90 min. 35mm.
– With –
A STRAIGHTFORWARD BOY (Fragment of a short)
Japan, 1929
Directed by Yasujirō Ozu
With Tomio Aoki aka Tokkan Kozō, Tatsuo Saitō
Approx. 14 min. 35mm.
Monday, June 19 at 5:30 **
** With live piano accompaniment by Steve Sterner
TOKYO TWILIGHT
Japan, 1957
Directed by Yasujirō Ozu
With Setsuko Hara, Ineko Arima, Chishû Ryû
Approx. 141 min. 4K DCP Restoration
Tuesday, June 20 at 3:15
Tuesday, June 20 at 8:00
Monday, June 26 at 12:30
Thursday, June 29 at 3:15
THAT NIGHT’S WIFE
Japan, 1930
Directed by Yasujirō Ozu
Written by Kôgo Noda
With Tokihiko Okada, Chishū Ryū, Tatsuo Saitō
Approx. 65 min. 35mm
Tuesday, June 20 at 6:10 **
** With live piano accompaniment by Steve Sterner
WHERE NOW ARE THE DREAMS OF YOUTH
Japan, 1932
Directed by Yasujirō Ozu
Approx. 86 min. 35mm
Wednesday, June 21 at 6:30 **
** With live piano accompaniment by Steve Sterner
AN AUTUMN AFTERNOON
Japan, 1962
Directed by Yasujirō Ozu
With Chishû Ryû, Shima Iwashita, Keiji Sada
Approx. 113 min. 35mm/DCP
Thursday, June 22 at 12:30
Thursday, June 22 at 6:00
Saturday, June 24 at 5:15 (35mm)
EARLY SPRING
Japan, 1956
Directed by Yasujirō Ozu
With Ryô Ikebe, Chikage Awashima, Teiji Takahashi, Keiko Kishi
Approx. 145 min. 35mm print courtesy of Japan Foundation/4K DCP Restoration
Thursday, June 22 at 3:00
Thursday, June 22 at 8:25 (35mm)
Tuesday, June 27 at 12:30 (35mm)
Tuesday, June 27 at 7:45 (35mm)
END OF SUMMER
Japan, 1961
Directed by Yasujirō Ozu
With Ganjirô Nakamura, Setsuko Hara, Yôko Tsukasa
Approx. 103 min. 35mm print courtesy of Japan Foundation
Friday, June 23 at 12:30
Friday, June 23 at 5:50
Saturday, June 24 at 3:00
Tuesday, June 27 at 3:25
LATE AUTUMN
Japan, 1960
Directed by Yasujirō Ozu
With Setsuko Hara, Yôko Tsukasa, Mariko Okada
Approx. 128 min. 35mm
Friday, June 23 at 2:45
Friday, June 23 at 8:10
Saturday, June 24 at 12:15
Wednesday, June 28 at 2:50
Wednesday, June 28 at 7:50
DRAGNET GIRL
Japan, 1933
Directed by Yasujirō Ozu
With Joji Oka, Kinuyo Tanaka, Hideo Mitsui
Approx. 100 min. 35mm
Saturday, June 24 at 7:40 **
** With live piano accompaniment by Steve Sterner
WOMAN OF TOKYO
Japan, 1933
Directed by Yasujirō Ozu
With Yoshiko Okada, Ureo Egawa
Approx. 45 min. 35mm
Sunday, June 25 2:35
A STORY OF FLOATING WEEDS
Japan, 1934
Directed by Yasujirō Ozu
With Takeshi Sakamoto, Chôko Iida, Kōji Mitsui
Approx. 86 min. 35mm
Sunday, June 25 at 5:20 **
FLOATING WEEDS
Japan, 1959
Directed by Yasujirō Ozu
With Ganjirô Nakamura, Machiko Kyō, Ayako Wakao
Approx. 119 min. DCP
– With –
KAGAMIJISHI (Short)
Japan, 1936
Directed by Yasujirō Ozu
With Onoe Kikugorō VI
Approx. 24 min. 16mm print courtesy of Japan Foundation
Sunday, June 25 at 7:15
FLOATING WEEDS
Japan, 1959
Directed by Yasujirō Ozu
With Ganjirô Nakamura, Machiko Kyō, Ayako Wakao
Approx. 119 min. 35mm print courtesy of Japan Foundation
Monday, June 26 at 3:20
Monday, June 26 at 8:00
TOKYO CHORUS
Japan, 1931
Directed by Yasujirō Ozu
Written by Komatsu Kitamura and Kôgo Noda
With Tokihiko Okada, Hideo Sugawara
Approx. 90 min. 35mm
Monday, June 26 at 6:00 **
** With live piano accompaniment by Steve Sterner
A MOTHER SHOULD BE LOVED
Japan, 1934
Directed by Yasujirō Ozu
With Yûkichi Iwata, Mitsuko Yoshikawa
Approx. 73 min. 35mm
Tuesday, June 27 at 6:00 **
** With live piano accompaniment by Steve Sterner
AN INN IN TOKYO
Japan, 1935
Directed by Yasujirō Ozu
With Takeshi Sakamoto, Yoshiko Okada, Chôko Iida, Tomio Aoki aka Tokkan Kozō
Approx. 80 min. 35mm
Thursday, June 29 at 6:20 **
** With live piano accompaniment by Steve Sterner
