After Life

February 19, 2014
past event image
Film past event

Donald Richie on After Life:
"A thoughtful and moving elegy in which the dead line up to be processed into the next world. Their passport is the single memory they choose to take with them. This is then filmed by a dedicated staff—comprised of those who could not or would not themselves choose a memory."

Richie recognized the remarkable talent of young Hirokazu Kore-eda from his debut film Maboroshi (1995) and promoted his films thereafter. Based on Kore-eda’s original screenplay, After Life is his second film in which he explores the full range of human experience. The director interviewed hundreds of Japanese and then drew on their recollections for the film. Some of the people who were interviewed also appear on screen.

Screening on the one-year anniversary of Richie’s passing.

Introduction by Aaron Gerow, Professor of Film Studies and East Asian Language and Literature, Yale University.

1998, 118 min., 35mm, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. Directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda. With Arata, Erika Oda, Susumu Terashima, Tsuyoshi Naito, Kei Tani, Toru Yuri, Hisako Hara, Kazuko Shirakawa.

Part of Richie’s Fantastic Five: A Tribute to Donald Richie (1924-2013), Part 1


TICKETS

$12/$9 Japan Society members, seniors and students

Buy tickets online or call the Japan Society Box Office at (212) 715-1258, Mon. – Fri. 11 am – 6 pm, Weekends 11 am – 5 pm.

If you are interested in purchasing group tickets for the event (10 or more), please email [email protected] for information on our discounted rate.

This program is assisted by a generous grant from The Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership – along with the National Association of Japan-America Societies, Inc.


  • Wednesday, February 19, 2014
  • 7:00 pm