Introduction to Japanese Films

These courses provide an introduction to Japanese films from all historical periods. The courses are based on your interest and informed by my own study of over 1000 films. I am particularly interested in older films for the insights about changes in society and film making over time.

• History of Japanese films (1899-present)
• Directors: for example, Kurosawa, Ozu, Imamura, Shindo
• Actors/actresses: for example, Toshiro Mifune, Setsuko Hara, Raizo Ichikawa
• The historical period (era) described in a film
• Various themes (traditional culture, youth, family, love, samurai, education, sociology)

Japanese Films and the Japanese Language Course

If you would like to learn both Japanese films and the Japanese language, I can make a taylor-made course for you. For example using Ozu`s films you can learn words related to families and marriage systems. If you are interested in samurai, I can introduce words and phrases related to Bushido (way of samurai). If you would like to practice conversations in your favourite films, I can write short conversations and practice them with you. I was in the English Drama Club at university and it was very useful to improve my English while acting some roles in a play. 

How to improve lauguage skills

Speaking

• have a conversation discussing your favourite films/directors/actors
• make a speech about your favourite films or some aspect of Japanese cinema

Listening

• listen and understand the dialogue in your favourite films. Simple in action films and can be more complex in some other films
• listen to audio files where I talk about your favourite films and themes

Reading

• read sentences/short texts/articles about your favourite films
• read text that occurs in some films

Writing

• write a film diary or your film criticism about films you have watched