12 April 2017
David Stratton brings best of Kurosawa to Canberra!
FILM CRITIC ICON AT ARC FOR ONE-NIGHT-ONLY, TO CELEBRATE JAPANESE FILMMAKER
Beginning Wednesday 14 June, the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA) will celebrate influential 20th century Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa with Essential Kurosawa: Selected by David Stratton, a two-week season of his greatest works curated by renowned Australian film critic David Stratton.
Stratton will be attending our closing night screening of the 4K restoration of Rashomon on Friday 30 June.
The program is presented in association with Sydney Film Festival (SFF), Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) and The Japan Foundation.
David Stratton said: ‘During the ‘golden era’ of Japanese cinema, Akira Kurosawa was by far the best-known Japanese director internationally. His films were not only accessible, they were marvellously executed.’
‘The best of Kurosawa’s films possess a grandeur combined with a common touch. No-one filmed action scenes like he did – his use of multiple camera, long lenses and intricate editing combined to make these sequences unforgettable.’
Stratton’s full notes on Kurosawa and each of the films are available on the NFSA website (https://www.nfsa.gov.au/events/essential-kurosawa-selected-david-stratton). A trailer is also available on the NFSA YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/EssentialKurosawaTrailer).
Season highlights include:
- David Stratton attends our closing night screening of the 4k restoration of Rashomon (Friday 30 June).
- On opening night (Wednesday 14 June) we screen the 4k restoration of 1985 classic Ran.
- Includes the master's rarely seen crime thriller High and Low (1963) on imported 35mm.
NFSA Community Engagement Officer Louise Sheedy said: ‘Kurosawa is one of the most influential directors of all time. He works on the grandest of scales, but with the detail and pathos of the most exacting artist. Kurosawa's films need to be experienced on the big screen - this season provides this very rare, very special opportunity.’
As an entrée to Essential Kurosawa: Selected by David Stratton, we’ve also programmed a double feature titled The Influence of Shakespeare, with Looking for Richard (1996) and Chimes at Midnight (1965) on Wednesday 7 June. One of the primary influences of the great Akira Kurosawa, this double feature looks at Shakespeare from two very different angles.
