“Art houses in Japan, which have existed since the 1970s, have become known as mini-theaters.”—This description appears in the explanation of “Introduction to the Contemporary Art House,” an event that began in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic in January 2021.

Víctor Erice Aras, Vitali Kanevsky, Éric Rohmer, and Robert J. Flaherty….This event showed masterpieces on screens throughout Japan from all ages and countries, including everything from narrative film to documentaries. What set this event apart was the time set aside after the screenings for “lectures” on the films given by current filmmakers such as Ryusuke Hamaguchi, researchers, and actors, among others.

While based on the history of the mini-theater in Japan, this program took a novel approach absent from existing events. We spoke with Yuichi Watanabe from the distribution company, Tofoo Films who worked as curator. He told us that the fresh perspective raised the potential for cultural development that takes a slightly different form than before, as well as issues for making that happen.

Text:Fumihisa Miyata　Photo:Taro Karibe　Edit: Kimi Idonuma

A new program launched during the pandemic presents the mini-theater as a contemporary place.

── ”Introduction to the Contemporary Art House” has been much talked about among film fans these past two years. How did it get started?

Watanabe: It started when we held the event, “Introduction to the Contemporary Art House: Seven nights of neo-classic films” from January 30 to February 5, 2021.

Films including "The Spirit of the Beehive" (1973) by Director Víctor Erice Aras and "Titicut Follies" (1967) by Frederick Wiseman were assembled around the term, neo-classic (meaning new classic) that was used for films that have graced art houses in Japan, known as mini-theaters. These films were simultaneously screened for seven consecutive days at 18 theaters across Japan on different days.

Following the screenings, there were lectures given by filmmakers who debuted from 2000 and later, researchers, and actors who spoke about the appeal of the films and how they were impacted by them. These lectures were broadcast live on 18 screens throughout Japan. There was also a Q&A session where the speakers took questions from audiences in the various theaters.

── Independent theaters are known in Japan by the moniker, mini-theaters. For this event, why did you choose instead to use the term, art house, which is generally used overseas?

Watanabe: Looking back at the role the mini-theaters has played in Japan, of course it has a great significance as a place where provocative films and audiences come together. However, there’s the worry that, if we simply put together programs screening masterpieces while retrospectively reiterating the existing image of the mini-theater, the mini-theater’s existence can be seen as being very static.

This time, we chose the term, art house, which can connect with contexts overseas, and paired it with original lectures with the idea of communicating to new, young audiences the fact that mini-theaters are dynamic, lively places. I think providing a new context for screened films is one of the mini-theater’s important roles.

── “Introduction to the Contemporary Art House” was a program launched in a rough period of business when theaters and distribution companies were hit hard by the pandemic. Nonetheless, it drew enthusiastic audiences and attracted attention.

Watanabe: The program couldn’t have been possible without the cooperation of many people, including Etsuko Murata, another curator from the distribution company, gnome and Masato Hojo, the manager at Euro Space.

The majority of mini-theaters operate with independent capital, and each creates its own programs. But, I think it was precisely because they all shared a sense of crisis in the pandemic that we were able to achieve this program where 18 theaters screened the same films all together. The guests who gave the lectures also understood that situation and lent a hand.

—— So, while independent, the mini-theaters worked in tandem.

Watanabe: Around the start of 2021, the world had become like a “disaster utopia,”* and it felt as if there was an awareness that going to the theater supports culture.

Perhaps partly because of that predicament, many young audiences flocked to “Introduction to the Contemporary Art House.” There were some audience members who enthusiastically took notes, and others that we saw several times during that short program period. We program organizers and the theater staff were all very happy about that. For me, too, it was a great experience in terms of my mental health during that period when I was under pressure.

*This concept is regarded as being widely disseminated by the American writer, Rebecca Solnit. It indicates a situation where people temporarily help one another after a large-scale disaster.

Enjoying films without being restrained by what is right and common practice

── After the first foray into screening various films paired with lectures, the second round of “Introduction to the Contemporary Art House” was held in December of that same year, and the third round in October the following year. In the first and second rounds, the program introduced both fictional stories and documentaries, but the third round was slightly different, right?

Watanabe: The third round was carried out under the subtitle, “The draw of documentaries.” First, we surveyed 18 Japanese filmmakers including Director Kaori Oda and Director Koji Fukada about what five documentaries they would show to new, young audiences to communicate the appeal of films. We published the survey results online.

Watanabe: Later, we selected seven films from that list, including "Louisiana Story" (1948) by Director Robert J. Flaherty and "SELF AND OTHERS" (2000) by Director Makoto Sato, then created a program and took it to five different theaters in Japan. Unlike in the first and second rounds, no lectures were broadcast, and the theaters were smaller in size.

However, in the third round guests were welcomed for talk shows held at theaters in various regions, such as the Ciné nouveau in Osaka and jig theater in Tottori. I think it’s quite significant that we were able to explore a format that didn’t come from Tokyo.

── What was the atmosphere like at each of the lectures, which were a feature of this event?

Watanabe: I was really impressed by how the guests greeted audiences with a relaxed manner and chatted as if they were watching the screen together.

During the lecture held after the screening of "The Spirit of the Beehive", Director Ryusuke Hamaguchi said he fell asleep while watching that film for the first time when he was a university student. I clearly remember the entire venue was swathed in an odd sense of relief (laughs).

Even when watching a film that you’re not sure what to make of at first, if you’re able to feel something from the tone or texture of what’s on the screen, I think that alone makes the film interesting.

── I also heard that at the screening of "The Spirit of the Beehive", there was a question from an audience member about romance.

Watanabe: Yes! I think the question was something like, “If you were to recommend "The Spirit of the Beehive" to someone you like, how would you do it?” The speakers were a little awkward, but answered the question in all seriousness (smiles).

In the first and second rounds of “Introduction to the Contemporary Art House,” we used an online comment form to gather questions from the audience at participating theaters across Japan to the speakers all at once. In this way, we were able to gather quite a variety of questions that wouldn’t have been readily asked if audiences had had to raise their hands. It felt like we kind of got away from the format where there is someone on stage who knows the right answer and the audience listens.

The importance of understanding the complicated state of things as they are

── Is there any issue to address in the future that came to light through this event?

Watanabe: “Introduction to the Contemporary Art House” is a program that was made possible through public aid. From the first to the third round, we were able to hold each by utilizing the “Project to Strengthen the Profitability of Culture and Arts” from the Agency for Cultural Affairs and “ARTS for the future!”, a subsidy program available during the pandemic. To be honest though, I never thought to implement it as an independent undertaking from the distribution company, Tofoo Films.

Putting together a fulfilling program requires an appropriate budget and manpower. Because if you bite off more than you can chew, it’s certain to have negative consequences for everyone involved, including the distribution company of the screened films, theaters, and guests.

I believe that public subsidies should always be available, instead of only in emergencies, so that we can pass on the social and cultural value of the mini-theater (art house) to the next generation.

── You believe a system providing support to sustain culture is needed.

Watanabe：Of course, even now there are several support and assistance systems. But, we’re having this conversation precisely because we feel there is still room for improvement.

I sometimes have discussions with students about public subsidies for films at public lectures and university speeches. What sticks with me is that they understand support for film production and accept support for theaters, but when it comes to support for distribution companies many say public assistance isn’t needed because they’re businesses.

However, in actuality each of them is creating an ecosystem that brings films to audiences. What should we do to gain societal understanding of this situation? That’s something we distribution companies also have to think about.

── Ongoing support rather than urgent support. Systemic support rather than piecemeal support…You’re questioning the approach to the proponents of culture itself.

Watanabe: Let’s think about a single theater, called an art house. That theater is not likely operating thinking of business alone, but having said that, it’s not as if it’s operating solely on the principle of cultural significance. It’s more complicated and multifaceted than that. Both people and distribution companies involved in production similarly possess these various facets, and we can go further and say that audience members probably do, too.

I feel that we’ve come to a place where we must carefully consider complicated matters as they are–complicated. It’d make me happy if people knowing about the endeavor, “Introduction to the Contemporary Art House” helps to get there.