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Nippon Express Carries the Olympics to Tokyo + Record of a Marathon Runner + Tokyo Story (15*)

Japanese Avant-garde & Experimental Film Festival

,Barbican Cinema 3
the streets of Tokyo with a Tokyo 1964 sign

The logistical efforts of putting on the 1964 Olympics are pitted against the Sisyphean loneliness of a long-distance runner.

Our afternoon of Olympic themed screenings begins with an early documentary from Japanese counter-culture legend Toshio Matsumoto (Funeral parade of Roses). In collaboration with the Museum of Logistics, we present the UK premiere of Nippon Express.

A showcase of the behind-the-scenes detail and labour required to host a mass sporting spectacle, Shinkichi Noda and Matsumoto’s poetic imagery is undercut by the upbeat promotional narration. In another UK first, we are delighted to screen Record of a Marathon Runner. Kazuo Kuroki documents the Olympic preparations of young athlete Kimihara Kenji, capturing the monotonous rhythms of training whilst pushing cinematic form into abstraction.

Nippon Express and Record of a Marathon Runner are paired with Hal Torii’s surrealist short: Tokyo Story.

Tagged with: Cinema Japanese Avant-garde and Experimental Film Festival 2021

Japan 1964 Dir Shinkichi Noda and Toshio Matsumoto 41 min

Japan 1963 Dir Kazuo Kuroki 62 min

Japan 2019 Dir Hal Torii 2 min

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.