With a Special Talk Session With the Author of the Original Story
"A Day on the Planet" (110mins, 2003)
Wednesday, March 8, 7pm (JFLA Auditorium)
In Japanese with English subtitles

(From AsianWiki) Seven friends gather at Masamichi's (Shuji Kashiwabara) house in Kyoto, where he'll soon begin graduate studies. All of them college students; Nakazawa (Satoshi Tsumabuki), his adorable girlfriend Maki (Rena Tanaka), Nakazawa's best friend Keito (Ayumi Ito), insecure handsome guy Kawachi (Toshinobu Matsuo), the scruffy Nishiyama (Masaki Miura) and the seemingly detached Sakamoto (Atsushi Ishino). 

The night slowly progresses and when they cross that hazy line between today and tomorrow, they find themselves greeted by the new morning of a new day. 

"10 Years After" - A Special Post-Screening Talk Session with the Author of the Original Story 

Award-winning novelist, Ms. Tomoka Shibasaki, will be present to have a special discussion with the audience after the screening. Here is how the discussion will proceed; first, before the screening, five main characters in the movie will be introduced to the audience, second, the audience will be encouraged to imagine what would happen to each one of those characters ten years after the story takes place, and finally, Ms. Shibasaki will disclose her own versions of the characters a decade later, which she described in detail in another work of hers, A Day on the Planet - 10 Years After.

Lecture & Demonstration
Uncovering the Mythology of Miso (Soy Bean Paste):
The Pinnacle of Healthy Food
Thursday, March 9, 7pm (JFLA Auditorium)
Admission Free, RSVP Required

Miso (soy bean paste) has its origins in China as far back as the 4th century, BC, and with its abundant health benefits derived from soy beans and fermentation, had quickly spread to the entire East Asia to become a staple food for the people in the region. One amazing thing about Miso is its variety - each country in East Asia, or sometimes each prefecture in the same country, has its own Miso with unique taste. 

In this program, two renowned chefs from East Asia (Japan & Korea) will introduce the history and health benefits of Miso, along with culinary suggestions of how to incorporate this healthy product in your daily cooking. Toward the end of the program, the audience will have a chance to try out a wide selection of Miso from Japan and Korea and enjoy the difference in taste. Don't miss(o) it! 

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His decision changed the world
"Persona Non Grata" (139mins, 2015)
Wednesday, March 22, 7pm (JFLA Auditorium)
*Q&A session after the screening with director Cellin Gluck
In Japanese with English subtitles

August 9, 1948. Nagasaki, Japan. An aging midwife named Nobuko (Sayuri Yoshinaga) is visited by the ghost of her son Koji (Kazuya Ninomiya), whom she lost to the atomic bomb. From then on Koji visits his mother frequently to reminisce and catch up on lost time. Their biggest topic of conversation is Koji's kind-hearted fiancée Machiko (Haru Kuroki), who regularly visited Nobuko over the three years since Koji's death. Machiko and Koji both seem unable to fully accept Koji's death, but Nobuko slowly encourages them to move on. 

Watch Trailer