presents

November 28, 2023, 7:00 pm

JAPAN SOCIETY

(333 E. 47th Street between 1st and 2nd Avenues)

New York (November 9, 2023) – Japan Society is honored to announce a special public preview screening of Takashi Yamazaki’s Godzilla Minus One. Following its world premiere at the prestigious Tokyo International Film Festival, Japan Society will present the first Japanese Godzilla movie since 2016 to eager audiences in NYC on November 28 at 7:00 pm. The special public screening will take place at Japan Society (333 E. 47th Street between 1st and 2nd Avenues) and is in partnership with Toho International, who will release Godzilla Minus One in theaters across the U.S. on December 1.

Ishiro Honda’s original 1954 Godzilla film defined a genre and invented a character who would go on to star in over 40 films and become a phenomenon across comics, toys, apparel, and games worldwide. In the franchise’s nearly 70 years of history, the “king of the monsters” has been reimagined multiple times from the grim creation of man’s scientific folly and vengeful ghost of Japan’s wartime dead, to a protector of the country and friend to children, to a

harsh commentary on Japan’s response to Fukushima. An embodiment of Japan, its hope, and fears,

Godzilla is also one of the country’s most identifiable ambassadors and as known as its other beloved popular culture exports including Pokemon, Hello Kitty, and Demon Slayer.

Written and directed by award-winning director Takashi Yamazaki, Godzilla Minus One presents a new focus for the saga and is set in a devastated post-war Japan. It follows the country still recovering from the scars of the past as a new threat appears, and it asks the question of what happens when a disarmed and defenseless Japan encounters Godzilla. The film features an all-star cast including Ryunosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe, Yuki Yamada, Munetaka Aoki, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Sakura Ando, and Kuranosuke Sasaki.

“Godzilla is one of Japan’s most iconic creations, and Japan Society is honored to present Toho’s latest Godzilla film for the first time in New York” said Japan Society Director of Film Peter Tatara. “We’re eager to share with New York audiences this latest reinterpretation of Toho’s venerable series – a stark film set in the past but prescient for audiences today.”

Japan Society will present the special public preview screening of Godzilla Minus One on November 28, following a year of major events which have included a preview screening of Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron, East Coast Premiere of The First Slam Dunk, North American Premiere of Shin Kamen Rider, North American Premiere of Blue Giant with composer Hiromi Uehara in-person, rare screening of Angel’s Egg with Yoshitaka Amano in-person, first major U.S. retrospective on director Shinji Somai, centennial retrospective on director Seijun Suzuki, and post-COVID relaunch of JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Cinema, the largest contemporary Japanese film festival of its kind. A center for Japanese film in New York City since the 1970s, Japan Society has previously welcomed cinema greats including Akira Kurosawa, Toshiro Mifune, Hideko Takamine, and Nobuhiko Obayashi.

Tickets for the November 28th screening of Godzilla Minus One at Japan Society are currently on sale HERE. Tickets are $25 for the general public and $20 for Japan Society members.

This screening takes place in Japan Society’s landmarked headquarters at 333 East 47th Street, one block from the United Nations. For complete information, visit www.japansociety.org.

FILM DESCRIPTION

Godzilla Minus One

『ゴジラ-1.0』
Gojira Mainasu Wan
Special Screening on November 28

Japan Society is honored to welcome the King of the Monsters for a special screening of the first Japanese Godzilla film since 2016. Written and directed by award-winning director Takashi Yamazaki and produced by Toho Studios, the film features an all-star cast lead by Ryunosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe, Yuki Yamada, Munetaka Aoki, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Sakura Ando and Kuranosuke Sasaki. Set in a devastated post-war Japan, it follows the country recovering from the scars of the past as the new threat of Godzilla appears. What happens when Godzilla comes to Japan completely disarmed and defenseless? Presented in partnership with Toho International. Godzilla Minus One comes to theaters on December 1 nationwide.

Dir. Takashi Yamazaki, 2023, 125 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Ryunosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe.

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 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 Kitano Hotel, the official hotel sponsor of Japan Society Film.

About Japan Society Film

Spurred on by the success of the 1970 Donald Richie-curated MoMA retrospective The Japanese Film: 1896-1969, Japan Society committed to making film one of its key programs in the early seventies—quickly becoming the premier venue for the exhibition of new Japanese cinema as well as career-spanning retrospectives on seminal directors and actors. In 1979, Japan Society established the Japan Film Center, formalizing film as a full-fledged, year-round program aimed at cultivating a deep appreciation and understanding of Japanese film culture among American audiences. Over the years, Japan Society Film has hosted numerous high-profile premieres and programs that include visits from Akira Kurosawa, Toshiro Mifune, Hideko Takamine, and Nobuhiko Obayashi. In 2007, Japan Society Film launched JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Film, the largest festival of its kind in North America.

About Japan Society

Japan Society is the premier organization connecting Japanese arts, culture, business, and society with audiences in New York and around the world. At Japan Society, we are inspired by the Japanese concept of kizuna (絆)–forging deep connections to bind people together. We are committed to telling the story of Japan while strengthening connections within New York City and building new bridges beyond. In over 100 years of work, we’ve inspired generations by establishing ourselves as pioneers in supporting international exchanges in arts and culture, business and policy, as well as education between Japan and the U.S. We strive to convene important conversations on topics that bind our two countries together, champion the next generation of innovative creators, promote mutual understanding, and serve as a trusted guide for people everywhere who seek to more fully appreciate the rich complexities and abundance of Japan. From our New York headquarters, a landmark building designed by architect Junzo Yoshimura that opened to the public in 1971, we look forward to the years ahead, which will be defined by our digital and ideational impact through the kizuna that we build. Our future can only be enhanced by learning from our peers and engaging with our audiences, both near and afar.

Here’s the trailer of the film.