The final classic film by the master director Yasujiro Ozu, revered by many great filmmakers, *An Autumn Afternoon*, is now screening in its newly digitally restored version at Spot Huashan. This year marks the 50th anniversary of Ozu’s passing. Following the digital restoration release of *Tokyo Story* earlier this year, the distributor is bringing *An Autumn Afternoon* to the big screen on December 13th, allowing both new and old fans to experience the master’s charm on the silver screen.
Yasujiro Ozu’s final classic *An Autumn Afternoon* will be screened at Spot Huashan. (Image provided by ifilm 传影互动)
*An Autumn Afternoon* is the last film directed by Yasujiro Ozu before his death. Selected as one of the top ten films by *Kinema Junpo*, it portrays the psychological state of old age with gentle humor. The father-daughter relationship in the film is sincere and profound, deeply moving all viewers. While making *An Autumn Afternoon*, Ozu experienced the loss of his mother. He was 59 years old that year, and he wrote in his diary about his feelings: “Spring has come to the valley, cherry blossoms bloom like clouds; but here, fixed gazes, the taste of saury——even the flowers seem melancholic, the sake tastes bitter.” He passed away shortly after completing the film. That day, December 12, 1963, was Yasujiro Ozu’s birthday.
The internationally revered master Yasujiro Ozu has influenced countless renowned directors both in Japan and abroad. Countless filmmakers have paid tribute to him, including Ang Lee, Jia Zhangke, and Hou Hsiao-hsien, all of whom are his admirers. Shunji Iwai directed *Swallowtail Butterfly* as an homage to Ozu; in 2004, Hou Hsiao-hsien, commemorating the centenary of Ozu’s birth, collaborated with Zhu Tianwen to make *Café Lumière*; this year, Yoji Yamada also paid tribute to Ozu’s masterpiece *Tokyo Story* with his film *Tokyo Family*. German master Wim Wenders even called Ozu “the most sacred and devout treasure in the history of cinema.” To mark the 50th anniversary of Ozu’s passing, a commemorative project has been launched. Following *Tokyo Story*, another classic masterpiece, *An Autumn Afternoon*, has been digitally restored and is now being released in limited screenings in Taiwan, allowing both new and old fans to experience the master’s charm on the big screen.
The story of *An Autumn Afternoon* follows Hirayama (played by Chishū Ryū), a man with two sons and one daughter. After his wife’s death, his eldest son marries and moves out, though he often comes home to borrow money from his father. His daughter, Katsuko (played by Shima Iwashita), takes care of her father and brother’s daily lives and never brings up her own marriage. Hirayama has grown accustomed to this life, finding happiness in his daughter’s attentive care. But during a reunion with his teacher, he learns that the teacher’s once-beautiful daughter never married because she stayed to take care of him. This realization suddenly strikes Hirayama—he has neglected his daughter’s eligibility for marriage. If she doesn’t marry now, they may end up like the teacher and his daughter. As his daughter finally finds a good match, the aging father cannot hide his deep and bittersweet feelings of reluctance and loss...
An Autumn Afternoon
An Autumn Afternoon
Release Date: 2013-12-13
Duration: 113 minutes
Director: Yasujiro Ozu
Cast: Chishū Ryū, Shima Iwashita
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG
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Hold Your Breath
No Breathing
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Release Date: 2013-12-13
Duration: Not Provided
Director: Peter Jackson
Cast: Luke Evans, Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Orlando Bloom, Evangeline Lilly, Lee Pace
In *The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug*, Prince Thorin Oakenshield leads a company of fifteen—including the wizard Gandalf and the hobbit Bilbo Baggins—on a treacherous journey back to their homeland: the Lonely Mountain. They vow to reclaim their kingdom and treasure from the dragon Smaug. However, Thranduil, the Elf king who has long been at odds with Thorin, surprisingly offers assistance. What are his motives? The returning company is blocked by Bard the Bowman, who believes they have no right to return to the mountain and warns that Thorin will only awaken the slumbering dragon, bringing greater disaster. Tensions run high. Meanwhile, Legolas and the elven warrior Tauriel find themselves falling in love, though King Thranduil does not approve of their relationship. As orcs launch a massive invasion of Middle-earth, an epic battle between good and evil begins. Humans, elves, and the company must set aside their differences to face this formidable threat. Meanwhile, Bilbo, who sneaks into the dragon’s hoard, is discovered by the fearsome Smaug. How will he escape the clutches of this terrifying dragon?
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Release Date: 2013-12-13
Duration: 1 hour 58 minutes
Director: Jo Yong-sun
Cast: Seo In-guk, Lee Jong-suk, Krystal Jung, Jung Jin-young, Park Cheol-min, Shin Min-chul, Cho Ah-young, Kim Jae-yong
It’s not over yet! Our competition is just beginning now!
Won-il (played by Seo In-guk) was once a promising swimming champion. However, his father died in an accident during his final professional swimming competition due to using his unique “breath-holding swimming technique.” His mother also passed away soon after from grief. The double loss shattered Won-il, causing him to give up swimming and drift through life aimlessly. His father’s close friend, Jaek-seok (played by Park Cheol-min), couldn’t bear to see him like this and encouraged him to join a sports school and return to the pool through the swimming team.
At the swimming team, he reunites with his childhood rival, Yoo-sang (played by Lee Jong-suk). Yoo-sang was kicked off the national swimming team due to impulsive behavior and must compete again at the sports school to earn back his spot on the national team. Ironically, Won-il’s decision to quit swimming paved the way for Yoo-sang to become the rising star of the national team. With Won-il’s return, Yoo-sang feels threatened—especially since they both fall for Jaek-seok’s daughter, Jeong-eun (played by Krystal Jung), fueling the fire of their rivalry. With the upcoming national team selection trials, these evenly matched men are about to engage in a battle not just for love, but also for friendship...
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Thomas & Friends Movie: King of the Railway – The Journey to Find the Crown
Thomas & Friends：King of the Railway
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Waltz for Monica
Waltz for Monica
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Release Date: 2013-12-13
Runtime: 1 hour 08 minutes
Director: Rob Silvestri
Cast: Not provided
On the latest adventure of the little train, Earl of Sodor arrives on the Island of Sodor with his two trains and a brand-new mission. Every engine is thrilled and working at full steam, and Thomas, Percy, and James are even chosen by the Earl to take part in the big task of rebuilding Ulfstead Castle together. Thomas also meets many new friends: Connor and Caitlin, who run faster than any other engines on the island, the lively and cheerful French engine Milly, and the old steam engine Stephen, who tells wonderful stories.
But on the eve of the grand opening of Ulfstead Castle, Stephen — who is set to play a key role in the ceremony — suddenly goes missing under mysterious circumstances. Thomas and his friends must spring into action to rescue him. Can Thomas find Stephen in time for the ceremony to go ahead as planned? And what astonishing secret lies deep beneath the castle in the mine shaft?
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Release Date: 2013-12-13
Runtime: 1 hour 52 minutes
Director: Not provided
Cast: Edda Magnason
Every dream has a price. What would you be willing to trade for it?
By day a telephone operator, by night a club singer, Monica rises from an unknown vocalist to become the hottest star in New York’s high-end nightlife during the golden jazz age of the 1960s, all thanks to her unique voice.
The wild parties and non-stop revelry that come with fame gradually cause her to lose herself. Faced with her parents' disapproval and a string of lovers leaving her, the empty and lost Monica is left with only a glass of wine to greet the morning. Does chasing your dreams always come at a painful cost...?
About Savoring the fragrance of violets — a magnificent life rising from the ordinary
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Akshin
Oshin
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Blue Jasmine
Blue Jasmine
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Release Date: 2013-12-13
Runtime: 1 hour 50 minutes
Director: Shinji Imaoka (known for The Angel's Egg)
Cast: Aya Ueto, Goro Inagaki, Izumi Inamori, Ayako Kobayashi, Hamada Yuzuki
She decides to return home seeking comfort from her family but gets lost in a snowstorm and collapses from exhaustion...
The Tanokura family faces poverty due to poor harvests. Father Tsukazo (Goro Inagaki), desperate to ease the financial burden, arranges for his daughter to be sent away at the age of seven. Her kind-hearted adoptive parents (Nobuko and Tetsuzo) raise her with love and care, though they themselves live modestly. But when her foster father (Tetsuzo) falls ill and passes away, her foster mother (Nobuko) remarries a cruel and abusive man.
Working from dawn to dusk at the Nakagawa family home, Oshin endures harsh treatment. One day, when money goes missing from the household, innocent Oshin is blamed. Unable to bear the injustice, she decides to return home to find warmth and comfort among family — but instead gets lost in a blizzard and collapses from sheer exhaustion...
Oshin, who was nearly buried in the snow, is saved by a kind stranger. Though overjoyed to see her daughter safe, her father worries about their worsening financial situation and sinks deeper into despair. Meanwhile, Oshin, growing more thoughtful and mature, resolves to support her family by taking a job as a maid at the Kaga-ya rice shop. What other hardships will Oshin face? Can she overcome them all with her indomitable spirit? This heartwarming story that has touched audiences around the world will once again offer you enduring love and strength...
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Release Date: 2013-12-20
Runtime: 1 hour 39 minutes
Director: Woody Allen
Cast: Cate Blanchett, Sally Hawkins, Peter Sarsgaard
She longed for love, thinking it would bring her everything.
Once living a life everyone envied — a perfect marriage, luxurious surroundings, surrounded by socialites — New York socialite Jasmine (played by Cate Blanchett) sees her world crumble. Left alone, she moves to San Francisco to stay with her sister Ginger (played by Sally Hawkins). The two squeeze into a cluttered apartment, trying to get by together.
Still dazed from anti-depressants and penniless, Jasmine clings to the appearance of her former upper-class self, though inwardly she struggles to adjust to her unfamiliar new life — a new job, a new environment, new people, and redefining her relationship with her sister — pushing her closer to the edge of despair.
Until the appearance of the diplomat Dwight (played by Peter Sarsgaard), a wealthy and courteous man who awakens Jasmine’s longing for high society. Could this encounter offer Jasmine a chance to rediscover herself, to reclaim the long-lost true love and perfect life?
Blue Jasmine carries on Woody Allen’s signature wit and incisive satire, delivering sharp insights in every line. It’s a stunning return to New York after a European journey. Through Jasmine’s eyes, we glimpse the most authentic face of New York—a glamorous yet heartbreaking socialite life that wittily exposes the city’s dark realities cloaked in luxury. The Big Apple, a melancholic exclusive—offering a bittersweet flavor unique to women of the era, as they seek the ultimate understanding of love and material comfort.
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