ANA _ EIGA31_The Great Passage

PRESENTS
NIPPON EIGA SERIES PART 31

EAST COAST PREMIERE OF

THE GREAT PASSAGE

(original Japanese title: Fune wo Amu)

Director: Yuya Ishii
Starring: Ryuhei Matsuda, Aoi Miyazaki, Joe Odagiri

Japan | 2013 | 133 min.| Japanese with English Subtitles

Date/Time: Thursday, July 25 Doors 6:30pm, Film 7:00pm
Venue: Japan Society: 333 E 47th Street, NYC

Entries must be received no later than 11:59PM, Sunday, July 21.
This is not on a first come first served basis. A confirmation will be sent.

Introduction

A dictionary… it sorts the words that people use to share feelings, reveals and presents the most appropriate word meanings in a useful manner. This film is the story of an eclectic editorial department at a publisher, where the eccentric characters strive to compile (=weave) a dictionary (=boat) to cross the dark sea of words, a story of the joy of words, the joy of life, a hymn of praise to those truly in love.

Story

Mitsuya Majime is an eccentric young man who somehow gets by in the Sales Division of the Genbu Books publishing company, until he is transferred to the Dictionary Editorial Department to take advantage of his unique perception of the meaning of words. He joins the team that will compile a new dictionary, ‘The Great Passage’. He’ll work with a veteran editor who is nearing retirement, an elderly professor who has devoted his life to study of the Japanese language, and a brash young man who gradually develops an appreciation for the charms of dictionary compilation. In the midst of this eclectic team, Mitsuya becomes immersed in the world of dictionaries.

Then Mitsuya has a fateful encounter with a woman. Although he is an expert with words, he is unable to find the most appropriate words to express his feelings for her. The Dictionary Editorial Department is overwhelmed with problems. Will ‘The Great Passage’ ever be completed? And will Mitsuya ever be able to fully express his feelings?

The Great Passage

‘The Great Passage’ is the new, medium-sized dictionary of Genbu Books. It is expected to have about 240,000 word entries, with the compilation objective of being a living language dictionary. Words come into being, some cease to exist, and the usage of others changes over time. It will be a dictionary for people who
exist now. Usually it takes a great deal of time and effort to compile a dictionary, and it will take 15-20 years to finish ‘The Great Passage’.

Original Novel

The original novel was set in a Dictionary Editorial Department,seen through a fascinating collection of characters that are fervently engaged in dictionary compilation. The best-selling novel of Shion Miura presents an affectionate tribute to these somewhat flawed characters, and shows a profound respect for words. The novel had the wonderful distinction of being awarded the Bookshop Top Prize, “Number One! The Book We Want to Sell!” by the national bookseller’s association in the spring of 2012.

Director

The Film was directed by Yuya Ishii, one of Japan’s most renowned young directors. He won the Edward Yang New Talent Award at the 2nd Asian Film Awards in 2008. His previous work, ‘Sawako Decides’ (2010), was screened at the Berlin International Film Festival Forum in 2010, and he has received much acclaim both domestically and internationally. This is the latest work of Ishii, known for his honest depiction of the peculiarities and passion of his very human characters.

ENTRY FORM

Entry Closed