2021 / Japan Foundation to present outdoor screening and samurai acting workshop at Shoseian Teahouse, Sept. 19 at 6:00PM

The Japan Foundation Los Angeles presents the outdoor screening & Samurai Acting workshop at the Shoseian Teahouse in Glendale, California in the evening of Sunday, Sept. 19.

Challenge yourself in a sword fight performance that you’ve only seen in Samurai movies at the beautiful Japanese Garden in Glendale, California.

Japanese actor group “Burai” will be your instructor and they will be teaching you basic samurai movements, sword handling, and manner of speaking.

After this 30-minute workshop, enjoy the movie, “Uzumasa Limelight” (2014) which focuses on an aging background actor that specializes in being killed.  Admission is free and registration is required.

Sunday, September 19 at 6:15pm
Door Open at 6:00pm
Workshop starts at 6:15pm
Movie starts at 7:00pm

Venue: Shoseian Teahouse, 1601 West Mountain Street, Glendale, CA 91201 www.glendaleteahouse.org

About instructors / Burai Productions: A Japanese Entertainment Group based in California. Projects include “How To Measure Happiness (Egyptian Extension Theatre, 2011)”, “BURAI -Standing All Alone-(Theatre Theater, 2014)”, “BURAI -Standing All Alone-(Aratani Theatre, 2015)”.

Since 2016, they have been in numerous events such as Anaheim Japan Fair, Long Beach Japan Fair, LANSCA 60th Anniversary Special Event, Tokyo City Cup, Beer and Sake at Harrah’s Casino.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/buraiproductions

In the workshop, the Japan Foundation will provide participants with a “sword” made with paper at the workshop. Instruction will be given in English.  This event is open to everyone.

 

About movie / Uzumasa Limelight (104mins, 2014)
Directed by Ken Ochiai
In Japanese with English subtitles

(Movie screening will take place outside so make sure to bring your chairs, blanket, or picnic sheet.)

A drama that evokes the pathos of an actor who specializes in the waning samurai film genre, set at the Uzumasa film studio in Kyoto.

Fukumoto Seiji, Japan’s top “kirareyaku” (whose job it is to be felled with a sword by a film’s star) with appearances in numerous samurai movies, plays a utility actor reminiscent of himself in his first starring role in a film.

Fewer samurai films are being made, and the Uzumasa studio has fallen on hard times. One day, veteran kirareyaku actor Kamiyama (Fukumoto) is tasked with teaching sword action techniques to fledgling actress Satsuki (Yamamoto Chihiro). A few years later, the now-retired Kamiyama is visited by Satsuki, who has become a popular star.