Takamine FCCJ sneak preview

[Eija Niskanen]

Dear KineJapanners,

We have a sneak preview opportunity at the Foreign Correspondents'
Club of Japan, on Monday, April 4, from 7 pm.

The FCCJ is a private club, so you must reserve through Karen Severns
if you’d like to attend: kjs30 at gol.com

http://www.fccj.or.jp/node/6475

SPECIAL SNEAK PREVIEW SCREENING followed by a Q&A session with
director Tôru Ichikawa and stars Hatsunori Hasegawa and Naomi Grace

MONDAY, APRIL 4   7:00 pm  20th floor

TAKAMINE
Japan, 2011  102 minutes  In Japanese and English with appropriate subtitles

Director: Tôru Ichikawa
Writers: Kei'ichi Hasegawa, Koyumi Ota, Kumiko Kobayashi
Executive producers: Shin Nukui, Tôru Ichikawa, Makoto ichikawa
Producers: Yukio Kubo, Akira Harima, Koyumi Ota
Cast: Hatsunori Hasegawa, Saburo Shinoda, Hiroyuki Watanabe, Misato
Tanaka, Takuji Kawakubo, Naomi Grace, Masanao Musaka, Hiroki Matsukata

The tragic events of March 11 in Japan have prompted an outpouring of
assistance from overseas. In Washington, D.C., where the famed
National Cherry Blossom Festival spotlights the enduring symbol of
amity between the U.S. and Japan, the proceeds from this year's
festival (March 26 – April 10) have been earmarked for relief efforts
in Japan’s stricken areas.

Please join the Movie Committee as we screen a very timely film about
international friendship, and the very first hanami season along the
Potomac River 99 years ago.

“Takamine” tells the story of the man who worked against all odds to
bring cherry blossoms to America: Dr. Jokichi Takamine. Considered the
father of modern biotechnology, Takamine made a number of
groundbreaking achievements in chemistry and medicine, claiming the
first patents for his creation of takadiastase and Adrenaline, and
founded three major companies, including Sankyo Pharmaceuticals. He
was one of the first Japanese to marry an American woman, and played
an important role as America’s unofficial ambassador of Japan in the
early years of the 20th century.

But Takamine’s most lasting legacy was his gift of 6,000 cherry trees
to his adopted homeland — and his many contributions to cultural
understanding. This sumptuous period film traces the broad outlines of
Takamine’s life, from his early years in Japan through his robust
later years in America. Despite enduring turbulent times, however,
nothing had prepared Takamine for the trials he would undergo as he
attempted to bring “the heart of the Japanese” to the American
capital.

All movie screenings are private, noncommercial events restricted to
FCCJ members and their guests.

Karen Severns, Edwin Karmiol, Movie Committee

----
posted via Eija Niskanen