Japanese culture’s rich tapestry of mythological creatures and demons provides the background for the 2024 film Ghost Cat Anzu, directed by Yoko Kuno and Nobuhiro Yamashita. Fifth-grader Karin has lost her mother and her ne’er-do-well, debt-ridden father has left her in the care of her grandfather, a priest at a Shinto shrine. Of course, the shrine has a live-in walking, talking, scooter-riding cat named Anzu.
As one of the few female anime directors, Naoko Yamada has made a big name for herself, directing high-profile anime series such as K-ON!, Sound! Euphonium, The Heike Story, and the 2016 feature film A Silent Voice. In her most recent film, The Colors Within (2024), she continues to explore teenagers’ experiences and the important role of music in their lives. Totsuko is high school student at a Catholic boarding school for girls who has synesthesia. She sees people as colors, but is still searching for what her own color might be.
Directed by Stéphane Aubier, Vincent Patar, and Benjamin Renner, 2012
PG; French with English subtitles; 80 minutes
Directed by Isao Takahata, 1999
PG; Japanese with English subtitles; 104 minutes
Takashi Yamada and his wacky wife Matsuko, who has no talent for housework, navigate their way through the ups and downs of work, marriage, and family life. Their household includes a sharp-tongued grandmother, a teenage son who wishes he had cooler parents, and a pesky daughter whose loud voice is unusual for someone so small. Even the family dog has issues!
Bullying is a worldwide phenomenon. In Japan, it is a significant problem in schools and has been the subject of hundreds of films and television shows. Made in 2016, A Silent Voice is one of the most powerful anime films to deal with this topic. The film follows Shoya Ishida, a teenage boy who is haunted by his guilt for bullying and tormenting a deaf girl, Shoko Nishimiya, in elementary school. Now in high school, the two cross paths again and Shoya has a chance to make up for his misbehavior.
Director Satoshi Kon was a titan of the anime world who sadly passed away in 2010 at the age of 46. Although he left behind only four films of his own, each one is a classic. Released in 2001, Millennium Actress is Kon’s love letter to Japanese cinema, told through an interview with Chiyoko Fujiwara, an aging icon of Japanese films. As the interview progresses, the actress’s memories and movies flow together into a seamless story that takes her interviewer and his cameraman through a thousand years of Japanese history, as seen through popular films and Chiyoko’s roles.
The Exhibition Lecture Series is a dynamic new program featuring curators and artists from the Modern’s special exhibitions and permanent collection. This series provides a rare opportunity to explore the creative processes, curatorial strategies, and artistic visions that shape modern and contemporary art. The Exhibition Lecture Series is a free program open to the public.
Be among the first to experience the exhibition, accompanied by atmospheric music and a thoughtful selection of food and beverages options available for purchase.
For questions about this event or to upgrade to the Contributor ($600) level and receive complimentary beer, wine, and light bites, please call 817-840-2170.
Be among the first to experience the exhibition, accompanied by atmospheric music and a thoughtful selection of food and beverages options available for purchase. Gallery access is free and open to all.
