In July 2024, we teamed up with Park Circus to invite UK-based curators to pitch a 4-5 title repertory season idea curated from the Park Circus library.
Following an in-person presentation to an industry at Watershed for Cinema Rediscovered, Yuriko Hamaguchi’s season Transnational Japan in Hollywood was announced as the winner.
With the season now available for booking through Park Circus, our Comms & Outreach Coordinator Nathan Hardie spoke with Yuriko about her journey, inspirations and advice for other curators.
NH: What was your path to becoming a curator?
YH: Currently, I am a first-year MA student specialising in Film Studies, Programming and Curation at the NFTS (National Film and Television School), but this is after originally taking law where I focused on policy for the art sector. While working in various jobs, I really wanted to get into cinema, so I took internships, short courses and volunteer roles to pursue this ion, and I eventually applied for the NFTS - it’s never too late.
NH: Very true, and something that resonates with my own journey. What was the inspiration behind your season Transnational Japan in Hollywood?
YH: Moving back to the UK from Japan over three years ago, I wanted to explore this ‘East meets West’ dynamic with Hollywood’s relationship to and representation of Japan. Also, many UK seasons centred around Japan focus on a handful of directors like Ozu and Kurosawa, but there are lots of other legends who also deserve to be celebrated.
Sessue Hayakawa, for example, who portrayed Colonel Saito in The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) and Inspector Kita in House of Bamboo (1955), also starred in several great silent films, including The Dragon Painter shown at this year’s Cinema Rediscovered. Not that I’m denying Ozu and Kurosawa, of course, it’s just another perspective!
NH: And could that be a good tip for other up-and-coming curators pitching seasons, find another perspective?
YH: Yes, I always try to approach seasons from a new angle. For my preliminary research, I looked through the previous Cinema Rediscovered programmes to see what had been successful, and that helped form the loose ideas in my head without going over the same ground.
It’s hard to come up with a wholly original concept, but you can make a strong case to stand by with a unique selling point.
NH: Do you have a cinema in mind you’re hoping to show the season at?
YH: Being London-based, it would fit really well in the Prince Charles Cinema as they show a diverse set of programmes mixing both mainstream and arthouse, similar to my season. The Garden Cinema is great too, showing lots of Asian films.
NH: Finally, is there anything else you’d like audiences to know about Transnational Japan in Hollywood?
YH: The season can be seen as demanding as there are some problematic representations, but shouldn’t be avoided because of it. The selected four are all spectacular in my opinion, deserving of being revived for the big screen, and worth fully exploring with the proper context and discussion.
Transnational Japan in Hollywood is available to book now through Park Circus, with programme notes from curator Yuriko Hamaguchi.
The films featured in this season are The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), House of Bamboo (1955), The Yakuza (1975) and Black Rain (1989).
Cinema Rediscovered is a Watershed initiative presented with collaborators and the of the British Film Institute awarding funds from the National Lottery, with this year's principal sponsors Park Circus and STUDIOCANAL.
