Taste of Tea 茶の味 (2004)

  • September 24, 2023 | 5:00 PM - 7:30 PM | Sunday
  • Oldham Theatre

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Original title: 茶の味
Year: 2004
Director: Katsuhito Ishii
Runtime: 143 minutes
Country: Japan
Language: Japanese with English subtitles
Rating: PG13

Awards

BEST ASIAN FILM
Fantasia Film Festival 2005

NETPAC AWARD
Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival 2005

Synopsis

The Haruno family live an easygoing life in rural Tochigi prefecture, north of Tokyo. Yoshiko (Satomi Tezuka) refuses to be an average housewife and works on an animated film project in their home while her husband Nobuo (Tomokazu Miura) is a hypnotherapist. Their son Hajime (Takahiro Sato) is an avid Go player having a rough time with girls and puberty, not unlike the lovestruck Uncle Ayano (Tadanobu Asano) who visits to get his head straight. Meanwhile, their daughter Sachiko (Maya Banno) is mainly concerned with why a giant version of herself is following her around.

Taste of Tea offers a glimpse at a modern Japanese family, weaving together various individual storylines whilst playfully mixing the quotidian with the surreal. With a background in animation, director Katsuhito Ishii flexes a casual disregard for realism, employing early digital compositing effects to reflect both the external and internal world of his characters. While otherwise family-focused the film demonstrates the pervasive influence of the Otaku subculture in Japan, featuring elaborate (and ridiculous) cosplay and an extended detour into the halls of storied animation studio Madhouse, with an appearance from Evangelion creator Hideaki Anno. What Ishii ultimately shows is that you can still find sincerity through artifice.

 


This film is part of the programme Y2K Dreamz. The full programme for Y2K DreamZ can be found here.

Friends of AFA members, please read the membership guide on how to purchase your discounted tickets and redeem your complimentary tickets.

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Important Notice:
Do note that Oldham Theatre does not play ads and screenings will start promptly. Doors will open 20 minutes before showtime, so arrive early to register and find a seat. Arrive early so as not to disrupt the screenings. All patrons are encouraged to purchase your tickets online to be able to secure a seat. If you choose to purchase tickets or merchandise at Oldham Theatre’s box office, cashless payment is preferred.

T&Cs
Concession tickets apply to Students (Local & Overseas), Full-time National Servicemen (NSF), Senior Citizens (55 years and above) only.
Please check film ratings before purchase of tickets. Please note that you may be asked to present your ID at the door (this applies to concession tickets as well). Only physical photographic identification is allowed, digital copies of identification are not allowed. AFA reserves the right to turn away any members of the public without physical photographic identification.
Upon confirmation of your order for Tickets, no exchange of Tickets will be made under any circumstances and Tickets are not transferable. No refund on Tickets will be made under any circumstances except due to cancellation of the event. The resale of Tickets at any price is prohibited.