Asian-American International Film Festival ‘05

Crying Out Love, In The Center of the World

Saturday, July 30 at 7:00pm, Sunday, July 31 at 4pm

GUEST SPEAKER: Risa Morimoto, Exec. Director of Asian CineVision followed by RECEPTION W/GOURMET JAPANESE FOOD* (Sat only)

Does love die when a person dies? This Japanese box office hit was based on a successful romance novel that helped usher in the current Japanese trend of “jun” (pure love) stories of innocent young love. Ultimately the film reveals the nature of love and finding closure with the past. At the heart of this Romeo and Juliet tale is the struggle of 27-year-old Sakaturo to come to terms with the tragic death of Aki, his high school love. He is now prepared to marry Ritsuko who discovers a tape recorded by Aki in which she reveals the deep love they shared and asks that question: “Does love die when a person dies?” Ritsuko departs leaving the tape for Sakutaro to find and listen to. The tape and Aki’s voice trigger a series of flashbacks in which he relives the deep extraordinary love they shared, cut short by her death.

(Japanese | 2004 | 138 min | Japanese w/English subtitles| dir. Isao Yukisada) *Reception catered by Kurabarn