“Ozu's 1949 film inaugurated his majestic late period: it's here that he decisively renounces melodrama (and, indeed, most surface action of any kind) and lets his camera settle into the still, long-take contemplation.” Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader
Friday, April 4, 6:00 p.m. | “Simplicity at its most heartbreaking.” -Paul Schrader
A series about fathers would not be complete without an Ozu film. In LATE SPRING, the Japanese master delivers the heartbreaking story of the widowed professor Shukichi Somiya (Chishû Ryû, Ozu’s frequent star) who lives with his only daughter, Noriko (Setsuko Hara, Ozu’s frequent muse). The two live a simple and content life that is altered when Shukichi’s sister suggests that Noriko should marry. The first installment of Ozu’s “Noriko trilogy” (followed by EARLY SUMMER and TOKYO STORY), LATE SPRING is a melancholic and delicate reflection on obligation and selflessness that only Ozu could deliver. We will have Kleenex at the ready.
Awards & Nominations
Winner - Best Film, Best Actress (Setsuko Hara), Best Director, Best Screenplay, Mainichi Film Concours
An Evening with Paul Schrader
On Saturday, April 5, Paul Schrader joins us for an intimate conversation about his life and career, followed by the Renaissance Award presentation.
Curated by Paul Schrader Series
Schrader, a passionate and curious cinephile who began his career as a film critic, has also curated four films for the Film Center’s screens, which will run alongside and complement his own films, March 23–April 4.
Directed by Paul Schrader Series
Leading up to the Renaissance Award presentation, we will screen seven films written and directed by Schrader, demonstrating the auteur’s provocative explorations of faith, his perpetual examinations of characters’ values in conflict with society, and his indelible mark on American cinema, March 21–April 5.
The Film Center is ADA accessible. This presentation will be projected without open captions. The theater is hearing-loop equipped. For accessibility requests, please email filmcenter@saic.edu