Spy Sorge (Supai Zoruge)

New York premiere

2003, 182 min., 35mm, color. In Japanese, German and Chinese with English subtitles.

Shot in Germany, China and Japan, Masahiro Shinoda’s Spy Sorge examines the turbulent history of the 20th century through the life of charismatic German spy Richard Sorge, who passed important Japanese and German military information to the Soviet Union during World War II. Disguised as a journalist, Sorge recruited elite Japanese newspaper reporter Hotsumi Ozaki in Shanghai, and both began a precarious espionage mission believing that their work would contribute to world peace. In this epic, archival footage is used along with outstanding computer graphics to recreate 1930s Tokyo. The international cast includes Iain Glenn, Masahiro Motoki, Riona Hazuki, Toshiya Nagasawa, Kippei Shina, Koyuki and Shima Iwashita. Masahiro Shinoda decided to retire as a film director after this film to dedicate his life to education. Screenplay writer Robert Mundy introduces the film.

Tickets: $10; Japan Society members, students & seniors $5.