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Death by Hanging + The Educational System of an Empire (18*)

Japanese Avant-garde & Experimental Film Festival

,Barbican Cinema 3
blindfolded man standing behind a noose

In his usual fashion, Nagisa Oshima faces a derisive issue head on, making a farce out of a (still) ongoing human rights issue—capital punishment.

R is a Korean who has, ostensibly, committed a crime worthy of death. In a circling overhead shot, Oshima’s film captures the ‘house’ of death where inmates will drink their last tea and breathe their last breath. But after hanging for over 20 minutes, R’s body won’t accept death.

Pitting bureaucracy, ethics and spirituality against one another as the executioners debate re-hanging an already hanged man. Satire dressed in the trappings of high drama comforts us in the midst of such a taboo subject without diluting our shock and disgust.

Death by Hanging is paired with Hikaru Fujii’s The Educational System of an Empire where a group of young South Koreans are asked to re-enact the tyrannical actions of colonial Japan upon Korea.

Tagged with: Cinema JAEFF Multibuy Japanese Avant-garde and Experimental Film Festival 2019

Japan 1968 Dir Nagisa Oshima 118 min Digital presentation

Japan 2016 Dir Hikaru Fujii 21 min Digital presentation

Please note: this film contains scenes of simulated executions.

* = recommended classification

Barbican Cinema 3

Location
Barbican Cinema 2 & 3 are located on Beech Street, a short walk from the Barbican’s Silk Street entrance. From Silk Street, you’ll see a zebra crossing that will take you across the road to the venue. 

Address
Beech Street
London
EC2Y 8DS

Public transport
The Barbican is widely accessible by bus, tube, train and by foot or bicycle. Plan your journey and find more route information in ‘Your Visit’ or book your car parking space in advance.