"Japan's art house cinemas, which have existed since the 1970s and continue to this day, are affectionately known as mini-theaters," reads the description for the event "Introduction to Contemporary Art House," which began in January 2021, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This event has screened masterpieces from around the world, past and present, from feature films to documentaries, by Victor Erice, Vitaly Kanevsky, Eric Rohmer, Robert Flaherty, etc. on screens all over Japan. After watching the films, a "lecture" time is set aside where active filmmakers such as Ryusuke Hamaguchi, researchers, actors, etc. can give lectures on the works.

While this project is based on the history of "mini-theaters" in Japan, it took a fresh approach that was not seen in existing events. When we spoke to Yuichi Watanabe of the distribution company "Tohfu", who served as the curator, we learned that from his perspective, the possibility of cultural development in a slightly different way than before and the challenges that must be faced to achieve this emerged.

Interview and text: Fumihisa Miyata Photography: Taro Karibe Editing: Norimi Idonuma

A new project in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic that presents "mini-theaters" as contemporary spaces

-- "Introduction to Contemporary Art House Films" has been a hot topic among film fans for the past two years, but how did it get started?

Watanabe:The first event was called "Introduction to Contemporary Art House: Seven Nights of Neoclassical Music" and was held from January 30th to February 5th, 2021.

Films that have graced Japan's art house "mini-theaters," such as Victor Erice's "The Beehive" (1973) and Frederick Wiseman's "Titty Cut Follies" (1967), were collected under the title "Neoclassical" (new classics), and screened simultaneously at 18 cinemas across the country, on different days for seven consecutive days.

After the screening, there was a "lecture" in which filmmakers who debuted after 2000, researchers, actors, and others spoke about the appeal of the works and their influence on themselves. This was broadcast live on 18 screens across the country, and a Q&A session was also held to answer questions from the audience at each theater.

--In Japan, standalone movie theaters are affectionately known as "mini-theaters." Why did you choose the term "art house," which is more commonly used overseas, for this event?

Watanabe: Looking back at the role that mini-theaters have played in Japan, of course their significance as a place where stimulating works and audiences can encounter each other is great. However, if we were to simply organize events such as screenings of classic films while retrospectively repeating the existing image of "mini-theaters," there is a concern that their existence would seem very static.

This time, we chose the term "art house" to connect with the overseas context, and by including an original "lecture," we wanted to share with young, new audiences that "mini-theaters" are dynamic and vivid spaces. I think one of the important roles of mini-theaters is to provide new context for the films they screen.

-- "Introduction to Contemporary Art House Films" was launched at a time when cinemas and distribution companies were struggling financially due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this, it attracted enthusiastic audiences and garnered attention.

Watanabe:This project would not have been possible without the collaboration of many people, including the other curator, Etsuko Murata of the distribution company gnome, and Eurospace manager Hojo Makoto.

Most mini-theaters are independently run and have their own programs. However, this time, we were able to realize the plan to screen the same film simultaneously at 18 theaters because we all shared a sense of crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The guests who appeared at the lecture also understood the situation and cooperated.

——So there was solidarity despite being independent.

Watanabe:Around the beginning of 2021, the world was like a disaster utopia*, and I think there was a sense that going to the theater was supporting culture.

Perhaps because of this background, many young audience members came to "Introduction to Contemporary Art House." Some people took notes while watching the show, while others met multiple times during the short period of the show. This was a truly happy thing for both the organizers and the theater staff. For me, it was a good experience for my mental health during that time when I was feeling overwhelmed.

*A concept popularized by the American author Rebecca Solnit. Refers to the temporary state in which people reach out to one another after a large-scale disaster.

How to enjoy movies without being bound by correct answers or common sense

--Following the first event, which featured a variety of screenings and lectures, the second edition of "Introduction to Contemporary Art House" was held in December of the same year, and the third in October of the following year. The first and second editions introduced both fiction and documentaries, but the third edition is a bit different in style.

Watanabe:The third event was held under the subtitle "The Temptation of Documentaries." First, we asked 18 Japanese filmmakers, including directors Oda Kaori and Fukada Koji, to fill out a survey asking them, "What five 'documentaries' would you recommend to young, new audiences that would convey the appeal of film?" We then published the results online.

Watanabe: Later, we selected seven films from that list, including Robert Flaherty's "Louisiana" (1948) and Sato Makoto's "Self and Others" (2000), organized a program, and screened them at five theaters across the country. Unlike the first and second programs, we did not broadcast the lectures, and the theaters were smaller in size.

However, for the third installment, we invited guests to local theaters, such as Cine Nouveau in Osaka and Jig Theater in Tottori, and held talk shows. I think it was significant that by doing so, we were able to explore a form that was not just "a message from Tokyo."

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

Watanabe:What was really impressive was how the guests welcomed the audience in a warm and welcoming atmosphere and spoke to us as if we were watching the screen together.

In particular, I remember vividly the feeling of a strange relief that permeated the entire audience when, in the lecture after the screening of "The Whisperer of the Bees," Director Hamaguchi Ryusuke said, "When I first saw the film as a student, I fell asleep" (laughs).

Even if you're not sure how to watch a film at first, if you can sense something from the texture and feel of the screen, I think that alone makes the film interesting.

--I heard that during the "Honeybee" episode, the audience asked questions that almost seemed like love stories.

Watanabe: Yes, there was! I think the question was something like, "If you were to recommend 'The Whisperer of the Bees' to someone you like, how would you recommend it?" The instructors were a little embarrassed, but they answered very sincerely (laughs).

In the first and second installments of "Introduction to Contemporary Art House," we used an online submission form to collect questions for the speakers from the audience at participating theaters across the country at the same time. By adopting this format, we received a wide variety of questions that would not have come up if the audience had just raised their hands to ask questions. I feel like we have been liberated a little from the structure of "a person who knows the right answer is on the stage and the audience listens to it."

The importance of understanding the complex situation as it is

--What future issues have become apparent as a result of holding this event?

Watanabe: "Introduction to Contemporary Art House" was a project that could only be carried out thanks to public subsidies. From the first to the third installment, we were able to hold each one by utilizing the Agency for Cultural Affairs' "Cultural Arts Profitability Enhancement Project" and the COVID-19 subsidy program "ARTS for the future!". However, to be honest, we have no intention of running this as an independent project for the distribution company, Toho.

To put together a substantial program, you need a reasonable budget and manpower. If you try to do it too hard, it will obviously have a negative impact on all involved parties, such as the film distributors, cinemas, and guests.

In order to pass on the social and cultural value of arthouse cinemas to future generations, I hope that public subsidies will become a permanent feature rather than an emergency measure.

--So there's a need for a system that supports the sustainability of culture.

Watanabe：Of course, there are currently some support and subsidy systems in place, but I feel there is still room for improvement, which is why I am telling you this.

I often have discussions with students in public lectures and university courses about public subsidies for films. What strikes me is that while support for film production is understood and support for movie theaters is also acceptable, when it comes to support for film distribution companies, many people say, "They're a business, so they don't need public subsidies."

However, in reality, each of these actors forms a single ecosystem until the film reaches the audience. As a distributor, we ourselves must think about how to gain societal understanding of this reality.

--Not an emergency measure but a constant one, not a point but a system. This calls into question the very way we understand those who carry on culture.

Watanabe: Let's think about a movie theater called an art house. It's not run solely on business, and it's not run solely on cultural values. It's much more complicated and multi-layered. The people involved in the production and distribution companies have these various aspects, and perhaps even the audience.

I feel that we have reached a point where we need to think carefully about complex issues, leaving them as they are. I would be happy if learning about the "Introduction to Contemporary Art House" project could be one opportunity to do just that.