Rites of Passage: The Films of Shinji Somai
Globus Series
Rites of Passage: The Films of Shinji Somai
April 28—May 13, 2023
Widely lauded in his native Japan, director Shinji Somai (1948-2001) remains largely unrecognized in the West. A pioneering filmmaker during what is sometimes referred to as the “lost decade” of Japanese cinema, Somai came to prominence during the 1980s at a time when the nation’s film industry found itself in flux following the collapse of the Japanese studio system. In this transitional period, he served as a crucial bridge into the era of independent studio productions.
Somai directed some of the era’s most original and enduring works, five of which comprise Kinema Junpo’s critics list for the best Japanese films of all time. He forged a unique identity characterized by his demanding work ethic and innovative use of long takes, working predominantly within the seishun eiga (youth film) genre. Somai’s oeuvre encompasses an eclectic mix of generic and stylistic conventions from Kadokawa pop idol vehicles to Nikkatsu’s Roman Porno to independent art dramas, frequently using bodies of water—including torrential downpours and typhoons—to parallel the turbulence of youth and externalize the impact of growing up in an increasingly chaotic world. Somai’s potent evocation of adolescence has influenced filmmakers from Shunji Iwai and Shinji Aoyama to Kiyoshi Kurosawa and Ryusuke Hamaguchi. Now, after more than 20 years since Somai’s untimely death at the age of 53, the first North American retrospective on Somai, Rites of Passage: The Films of Shinji Somai showcases his remarkable work for American audiences today.
“For anyone who wants to see a movie that has the power to change and sustain your life, I urge you to see Shinji Somai’s films.” —Ryusuke Hamaguchi
Read Hamaguchi’s observations on Rites of Passage: The Films of Shinji Somai.
Admission Information
Tickets: $15/$12 students and seniors /$10 Japan Society members
Screening of Typhoon Club + Opening Night Party: $18/$15/$14
All in-person screenings will take place in Japan Society’s auditorium, located at 333 E. 47th Street in New York, NY.
1985. 117 min. Directed by Shinji Somai.
Friday, April 28, 7 pm ET
World Premiere of 4K Restoration! A cult classic in Japan and Somai’s seminal work, Typhoon Club delves into the lives of students caught in the winds of a typhoon.
DRAMA, COMING OF AGE
1983. 118 min. Directed by Shinji Somai.
Saturday, April 29, 2 pm ET
Saturday, May 13, 5 pm ET
Based on a story by Leonard Schrader, P.P. Rider follows three friends who embark on a series of misadventures as they trail their kidnapped bully.
DRAMA, COMING OF AGE
Learn More (April 29 & May 13)
1985. 88 min. Directed by Shinji Somai.
Saturday, April 29, 5 pm ET
Somai’s foray into the pinku genre is a melancholic affair, offering a fatalistic look at two lonely souls who meet again by chance after a fateful night years prior.
DRAMA
1982. 130 min. Directed by Shinji Somai.
Saturday, April 29, 7 pm ET
1982 Complete Version. A huge hit for Kadokawa and the defining role for idol Hiroko Yakushimaru, the eclectic Sailor Suit was Somai’s breakthrough picture and has since been immortalized in Japanese pop culture.
DRAMA, COMING OF AGE
1981. 112 min. Directed by Shinji Somai.
Friday, May 5, 6 pm ET
Theatrical Cut. A huge hit for Kadokawa and the defining role for idol Hiroko Yakushimaru, the eclectic Sailor Suit was Somai’s breakthrough picture and has since been immortalized in Japanese pop culture.
DRAMA, COMING OF AGE
1987. 118 min. Directed by Shinji Somai.
Friday, May 5, 8:30 pm ET
Saturday, May 13, 2 pm ET
International Premiere of 2K Restoration! A mountain man from Hokkaido makes his way to Tokyo in search of his beloved, finding himself pulled into a carnivalesque underworld of gladiator fights, tightrope acts and opera.
DRAMA
Learn More (May 5 & May 13)
1983. 140 min. Directed by Shinji Somai.
Friday, May 12, 7 pm ET
Imported 35mm Print! An arduous epic set in the high seas off the coast of Hokkaido, this near-mythical tale recounts the struggle of a young man who undertakes the cross-generational profession of his girlfriend’s family—that of tuna fisherman.
DRAMA
1990. 109 min. Directed by Shinji Somai.
Saturday, May 13, 7:30 pm ET
Imported 35mm Print! An up-and-coming teen model returns from heaven after being run over by a car in Somai’s charming 1990 pop fantasy.
DRAMA
Title Image: Sailor Suit and Machine Gun © 1981 Kadokawa Corp.
Rites of Passage: The Films of Shinji Somai is supported, in part, by a generous gift from The Globus Family.
Special Thanks to Bret Berg (AGFA); Ed McCarry (Cinema Guild); Miki Zeze (Kadokawa); Alo Joekalda (The National Film Archive of Japan); Mami Furukawa and Umi Yamamoto (Nikkatsu); Aya Takagawa (Shochiku).
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 endowment support from the Lila Wallace-Reader’s Digest Endowment Fund. Additional season support is provided by The Globus Family, David Toberisky, Akiko Koide and Shohei Koide, Geoff and Fumi Matters, Laurel Gonsalves, and David S. Howe. Transportation assistance is provided by Japan Airlines, the exclusive Japanese airline sponsor of Japan Society Film.
