Japanese Classics by Imai and Shindo at the Art Gallery of NSW

The lack of a Cinematheque in Sydney means that events like the Classic Section of the forthcoming Japanese Film Festival have to be played in whatever venue can handle 35mm screenings with the amount of love and care required by the parent supplying film archive. 

Blue Mountains, Tadashi Imai, Japan, 1949

So it’s at the Art Gallery of NSW in Sydney, (ACMI in Melbourne), and that has the great virtue for the aging and impoverished who regularly attend the venue of being FREE. Not a bad deal.

The program consists of 8 old films, 2 on 16mm and the rest on 35mm. The directors are Tadashi Imai and Kaneto Shindo. Both were major figures in their day. The website devoted to the festival is rather light on information though there’s a little more on the usual excellent AGNSW leaflet produced no doubt by in house film curator Robert Herbert, at least to the extent of having an intro as to whom the two directors are.

In Sydney the venue is the Domain Theatre at the Art Gallery of New South Wales (Lower Level 3) Art Gallery Rd, Sydney NSW 2000

The films screen a couple of times each including some evening screenings. Tickets are issued at the Domain Theatre one hour before on a first come first served basis. Films start at the advertised time and doors open 30 minutes before. Latecomers not admitted.

Some additional details  here