With the impending construction of a dam set to change the village of Hanatani forever, local photographer, Takashi Kenichi is charged with putting together a collection of photos to preserve its memory. Together with his professional photographer son, the pair embark upon a moving journey, slowly mending the broken bridge between them as they work to leave the village with a lasting legacy...

 

The Village Album won the award for Best Film at the 8th International Shanghai Film Festival in 2005, with Tatsuya Fuji (Takashi Kenichi) picking up the award for Best Actor. Shot on location in Tokushima prefecture, in villages where the beauty of nature is still largely untouched, the makers of this film highlight the often unnoticed charm of our surroundings

Many Happy Returns 　教祖誕生 Tenma Toshihiro/1993/95 mins Wednesday, 23 February 2011, 18:30 Doors open at 17:45 No admittance after 19:00

In this 1993 comedy, a chance meeting on a train sees protagonist Takayama Kazuo launched into a career as a professional religious trickster. Working hard for his new cause, Kazuo is promoted higher and higher within the group. Although internal tensions between other members create a difficult and ultimately violent situation, Kazuo rises above this and leads his followers onwards...

 

Written by Beat Takeshi, one of Japan's most popular comedians and talented film directors, Many Happy Returns is a deft parody of the new-religion boom that occurred within Japan in the 1980's

 

Click here for booking details. Please be advised that we now have a new booking system in place: Due to the popularity of the Embassy screenings, films in 2011 will be advertised two at a time and bookings will be limited to ONE film per person.