2023 / Japan Foundation Los Angeles to present screening “Chantal Stoman’s ŌMECITTÀ” June 8, 7PM at Lumiere Cinema at The Music Hall
Photo Exhibition and Film Screening “Chantal Stoman Presents: ŌMECITTÀ”
Photo Exhibition: June 2, 2023 – August 5, 2023
The Japan Foundation, Los Angeles
5700 Wilshire Boulevard, #100 Los Angeles, CA 90036
Exhibition Hours: Mon-Sat 12:00pm-6:00pm, Closed June 17th & Sundays. Admission: Free
Film Screening: June 8, 2023 – 7:00 PM
Lumiere Cinema at The Music Hall 3 in Beverly Hills
9036 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90211
Register Here Admission: Free
The Japan Foundation, Los Angeles announced its exhibition of French artist Chantal Stoman’s ŌMECITTÀ, a one-of-a-kind photography project with a companion documentary.
While in Japan in 2017, Chantal Stoman heard rumors of a town that had once been the epicenter of cinema during the Showa era, though no pictures nor online mentions of it existed. The name of this town was Ōme.
After doing her own research and still not being able to find anybody in all of Tokyo who had been to or had even heard of Ōme, Chantal Stoman went there herself and was amazed at what she found.
Decorating the town were hand-painted movie posters of classical Hollywood films, all created by one self-trained local artist. The town was beautiful, yet no photos of it could be found online or in any books. It had at one point been the heart of cinema in Japan, but now was a forgotten memory.
Through her many trips back to the city over the course of three years, Chantal Stoman captured an intimate portrait of its urban beauty. Additionally, her work hugely impacted the town and its residents, shining light onto a town that was previously unknown to the world and forgotten by its own country.
Chantal Stoman’s documentary captures in real-time the reaction Ōme’s inhabitants have to the town becoming famous once again due to the Ōmecittà project.
Partners of this exhibition are the Consulate General of France in Los Angeles, the Centre national des arts plastiques, the Alliance Francaise of Los Angeles, Villa Albertine, and Lumiere Cinema at the Music Hall for their support.
