Summer Vacation 1999

『1999年の夏休み』
Sen-kyuhyaku-kyuju-kyu-nen no Natsuyasumi

Imported 35mm Print. Summer Vacation 1999 brims with a mesmerizing and mystical evocation of youth, existing in a world unto itself. A loose adaptation of Moto Hagio’s legendary shojo manga The Heart of Thomas scripted by longtime Terayama collaborator Rio Kishida, Shusuke Kaneko’s reworking casts a group of young actresses in the roles of schoolboys, the only occupants of an all-boys boarding school during summer break. Haunted by the recent suicide of a schoolmate, the group finds itself in disbelief when a new occupant arrives—one who uncannily resembles their dead classmate. A confrontation of life and death, dispersed into a world of light, of illusion, of truth and fantasy—Kaneko’s lush and androgynous work is imbued with a timeless essence, recalling the unforgettable occurrences of a summer past.

Dir. Shusuke Kaneko, 1988, 90 min., 35mm, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Eri Miyajima, Tomoko Ohtakara, Miyuki Nakano, Eri Fukatsu. Screenplay by Rio Kishida.

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Image © 1988 Nikkatsu/Aniplex

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, Anime NYC 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 Prince Kitano New York, the official hotel sponsor of Japan Society Film.