Blue Giant

North American Premiere with jazz legend and Blue Giant soundtrack composer Hiromi Uehara in-person. Screening followed by Q&A with Hiromi. Dai Miyamoto’s life is turned upside down the day he discovers jazz. A former high school basketball player, Dai picks up a saxophone and begins practicing day and night, determined to become one of the greatest of all time. He leaves his sleepy hometown for the bustling nightclubs of Tokyo, but soon finds the life of a professional musician is not for the faint of heart. His passion eventually wins over the cocky but talented pianist Yukinori, and after Dai convinces his friend Shunji to learn the drums, they launch a new jazz trio whose rough sound contains a raw energy that quickly wins attention from local audiences. But what does it take to truly be great? From director Yuzuru Tachikawa (Mob Psycho 100) and based on the award-winning manga by Shinichi Ishizuka, Blue Giant is a moving ode to the power of music and the artist, featuring electric performances and a stunning jazz soundtrack featuring renowned jazz artist Hiromi.

This program does not include a live performance.

Dir. Yuzuru Tachikawa, 2023, 120 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Yuki Yamada, Amane Okayama, Shotaro Mamiya.

Hiromi Uehara
Born in Hamamatsu, Japan, Hiromi began studying piano at the age of six. When she was 17, Chick Corea invited her to play with him at a Tokyo concert. She attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, where she was mentored by jazz legend Ahmad Jamal. A prolific artist, her newest album is Sonicwonderland. Earlier this year, she recorded the soundtrack to Blue Giant. Hiromi is a perennial favorite on DownBeat’s Annual Critics and Readers Poll, and she has performed at the world’s finest jazz festivals, including Montreux, Umbria, North Sea, Newport and Monterey. Her work has been celebrated by media including the New York Times, NPR and the Washington Post, and she was a featured performer at the Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony in 2021. For more, visit hiromiuehara.com. For tickets to Hiromi’s Sonicwonder release show (October 13 & 14), please click here.

 This screening is in collaboration with GKIDS and in celebration of their nationwide release of Blue Giant across America on October 8 and 9. For more information on Blue Giant’s upcoming theatrical release, please visit BlueGiantMovie.com.

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Image: © 2023 Blue Giant Movie Project © 2013 Shinichi Ishizuka, Shogakukan.

Japan Society programs are made possible by leadership support from Booth Ferris Foundation, and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. Film programs are generously supported by ORIX Corporation USA, public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, and Yen Press. Endowment support is provided by the Lila Wallace-Reader’s Digest Endowment Fund and The John and Miyoko Davey Endowment Fund. Additional season support is provided by The Globus Family, David Toberisky, and Friends of Film. Transportation assistance is provided by Japan Airlines, the official Japanese airline sponsor of Japan Society Film. Housing assistance is provided by the Kitano Hotel, the official hotel sponsor of Japan Society Film.