The Island Closest to Heaven
- Sun, Jun 29
- Mon, Jun 30
Director: Nobuhiko Obayashi Run Time: 103 min. Format: DCP Release Year: 1984 Language: Japanese with English subtitles
Starring: Kayo Matsuo, Miyoko Akaza, Nenji Kobayashi, Tomoyo Harada, Wakaba Irie
New 4K Restoration!
Screening Sunday, June 29 & Monday, June 30
Based on a 1966 best-selling travelogue, Obayashi’s paradise-laden coming-of-age tale is an island retreat to the white sands of New Caledonia. Fulfilling her late father’s (Yellow Magic Orchestra’s Yukihiro Takahashi) dream to take her to ‘the island closest to heaven,’ bookish teen Mari (Harada) ventures solo to the archipelago’s indigo waters in search of this legendary locale. Taking in the island’s sites, Mari journeys off the beaten path, befriending a host of friendly locals in the process. One of Obayashi’s breeziest features, filled with a sense of old school Hollywood romanticism, THE ISLAND CLOSEST TO HEAVEN forms an affecting portrait of a young girl’s journey to self-discovery and her own piece of heaven deep within. – adapted from notes for Japan Society NYC Brattle Debut
Double Feature with HIS MOTORBIKE, HER ISLAND