Coalescing forces: encounters with the spirit world in Japanese cinema

Kate Jinx, director of programming, Golden Age Cinema, in conversation with Simonne Goran, festival programmer, Japanese Film Festival

In this conversation, film curators Kate Jinx and Simonne Goran discuss the supernatural, spiritual and religeo-aesthetic concepts presented in Japanese film and anime. From folkloric belief systems to disembodied spirits of the digitised era, they draw on seminal works by Nobuo Nakagawa, Hayao Miyazaki and Mamuro Oshii among others to highlight the artistic insertion of these themes through a cinematic application of imagery and narrative. Looking at the ever-evolving, diverse landscape of Japanese spirituality from a Western context, this talk will focus predominantly on film and anime’s ability to form new meaning, experiences and associations that both entertain and invite contemplation.

Film screening: Spirited away

Directed by Hayao Miyazaki 2001 (Japan)

Starring Rumi Hiiragi, Miyu Irino, Mari Natsuki

125 mins Digital Colour Rated PG

Japanese with English subtitles

From Hayao Miyazaki, one of the most celebrated filmmakers in the history of animated cinema, comes the Academy Award-winning masterpiece, 'Spirited away'. This beloved fantasy centres on a young girl named Chihiro who discovers a secret world of strange spirits, creatures and sorcery. When her parents are mysteriously transformed, she must call upon the courage she never knew she had to free herself and return her family to the outside world.

This program is presented in partnership with the Japan Foundation

*Please note this session will finish at 5pm.