Japan Society of Boston Film Club: "Departures"

Our next film will be Departures (2008), directed by Yojiro Takita.  It was the first Japanese film to win the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. In the film, a failed cellist (Masahiro Motoki) returns reluctantly to his quiet hometown to start a new job as a nokanshi or ritual mortician. The film highlights the profoundly intimate nature of traditional Japanese funeral rituals like hand-washing bodies for cremation. A thought-provoking and disarmingly moving piece about life, death, and intricate familial bonds.

Watch the Trailer.

Films should be viewed in advance of our meetings. Due to copyright laws, meetings will not feature screenings. This film can be viewed for free on Plex, rented from the Boston Public Library, or purchased online at various sites.

The Japan Society of Boston Film Club meets on the last Wednesday of every other month to discuss great classic and contemporary Japanese films. The purpose of our club is to support the  community of Japan enthusiasts in the New England region by creating a space for thoughtful and sociable discussion.