CHICAGO JAPAN FILM COLLECTIVE:
Backstreet Cinema Series Vol. 2: “The Cinematic Roar”
Two powerful documentaries celebrating Japan’s cultural legacy and artistic spirit
December 14 & 21, 2025 | Chicago & Online
Chicago, IL — The Chicago Japan Film Collective (CJFC) proudly announces Backstreet Cinema Series Vol. 2, featuring two extraordinary Japanese documentary films that explore the power, emotion, and history behind Japan’s most iconic cultural expressions: Godzilla and Taiko drumming.
Following the successful launch of the series in September, CJFC continues its mission to bring diverse and meaningful Japanese cinema experiences to Chicago and beyond — building toward its 5th Anniversary Festival in 2026.
SCREENING SCHEDULE
Sunday, December 14, 2025 – 10:30 AM: Ishiro Honda: Memoirs of a Film Director by Jonathan Bellés
A rare and intimate portrait of Ishiro Honda, the visionary creator of Godzilla (1954) and lifelong artistic partner to Akira Kurosawa. Through wartime memories, reflections on nuclear trauma, and decades behind the lens, Honda’s cinematic voice shaped not only Japan — but global popular culture.
Sunday, December 21, 2025 – 10:30 AM: SHIVER by TOYODA Toshiaki
An immersive, dialogue-free sensory experience chronicling the world-renowned taiko ensemble Kodo. Through rhythm, movement, and breath, the film captures the raw human energy behind traditional drumming — power, discipline, nature, and heartbeat as one.
Together, these films evoke the physical intensity, emotional depth, and cultural heritage of Japan — where sound and movement become art, memory, and identity.
Each screening will be followed by a special guest program, offering audiences an opportunity to further explore the film’s themes and cultural context.
VENUE INFORMATION
FACETS — 1517 W Fullerton Ave, Chicago
A nonprofit (501c3) hub for independent film in Chicago, accessible via CTA Red/Brown Lines and Fullerton bus routes.
EXPERIENCE IN THEATER OR ONLINE
Ishiro Honda: Memoirs of a Film Director will also be available online for a 48-hour viewing window, allowing audiences across the U.S. to join and engage with this rare cultural work.
*Note: SHIVER will be screened in-theater only.
TICKET INFORMATION
- General Admission: $15
- Students: $12
- Online Access: $10
- Group Tickets (4+ people): 20% off total purchase in a single transaction
- Classroom / Academic Access: Available for educators
(Please contact info@cjfc.us for educational booking)
*Tickets will be available starting November 15, 2025, for both in-theater and online screenings.
You can purchase the tickets, https://www.cjfc.us/
FILM INFORMATION
- Ishiro Honda: Memoirs of a Film Director
[Jonathan Bellés | Documentary | Spain | 2024 | 65 min. |(c)2024 Daifilms]
Ishiro Honda: Memoirs of a Film Director explores the life and career of Japanese director Ishiro Honda, focusing on his films, war experiences, and friendship with Akira Kurosawa.
- Shiver | 戦慄せしめよ
[TOYODA Toshiaki | Music, Avant-Garde | Japan | 2021 | 89 min. |©Etto]
This 89-minute invisible sound by TOYODA Toshiaki vibrates the mind and soul, capturing the powerful collaboration between HINO Koshiro and Kodo, the world-famous taiko ensemble from Sado Island.
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
CJFC is honored to share that co-founder Yuki Solomon was awarded a Chicago/Midwest Emmy® Award on November 1, 2025 for Promotion – Single Spot with Cubs Productions.
The winning piece celebrated Japanese MLB stars Seiya Suzuki and Shota Imanaga returning to Japan to open the 2025 MLB season — a moment bridging cultures through sport, pride, and storytelling.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9E5yprmM49Q
Statement from Yuki Solomon:
“As someone devoted to connecting Japan and the United States, this achievement means more than a dream. I am deeply grateful to Cubs Productions and to all who continue building cultural bridges abroad. This award belongs to everyone pursuing their life and happiness across borders.”
ABOUT CJFC
The Chicago Japan Film Collective, established in 2021, is the first and only Japanese film festival in the Midwest. CJFC showcases independent Japanese cinema with a focus on diverse creative voices, while deepening cultural understanding through film, conversation, and community events.