Under the Influence: Yasujiro Ozu

What does an Ozu-esque film look like in the 21st century? How does the sensibility of a director whose later works largely focused on the dissolution of the Japanese family in a post-war Japan undergoing rapid modernization translate to a contemporary global context? How does a director imbue their films with an Ozu-esque sensibility without simply copying Ozu’s style?

This course will focus on three films that reflect an Ozuesque sensibility while still fitting within the context of the director’s works. It is an opportunity to reflect on Ozu’s themes and sensibility as well as an excuse to explore contemplative works by three contemporary auteurs.

Students are highly encouraged to watch Ozu’s Late Spring prior to the first class.

Films:

11/12: 35 SHOTS OF RUM (Claire Denis, 100 min, 2008)

11/19: CAFÉ LUMIÈRE (Hou Hsiao-Hsien, 108 min, 2003)

11/26: STILL WALKING (Hirokazu Kore-eda, 114 min, 2008)

This class will be taught by Jordan Sudermann who teaches IB Film and various social science courses at Lincoln High School. His interests in film include post-war European art cinema, East Asian cinemas, and queer cinemas. Previous courses at Movie Madness University include Japanese New Wave, Vertigos, Pier Paolo Pasolini and Youth in Revolt.

Class size will be limited to 18.

Email us at education@moviemadness.org if you have any questions.