Celebrating the grand opening of the NEW PEOPLE building in Japantown and the presentation of the J-Pop Summit Festival 2009
Marking this double occasion, The Center for Asian American Media and the Japantown Merchants Association will host a free outdoor screening of the wacky, fun film, KAMIKAZE GIRLS, on Friday, August 14, at 8:15 pm. Written and directed by Tetsuya Nakashima, it is one of the best reviewed Japanese films to be released in the US in recent years.
KAMIKAZE GIRLS offers a candy-colored glimpse into Japanese “Lolita” pop culture, and the outlandish, rococo fashions and lifestyle of young Japanese woman. Called a “yummy Japanese confection” by The New York Times, it tells the story of Momoko (Kyoko Fukada), who yearns to live in 18th century Versailles rather than in her back-country hometown of Shimotsuma, heartland of the Yakuza. To escape, she loses herself in the dreamy, doll-like fashions of the “Lolita” scene. Her idol is Akinori Isobe, chief designer of Baby, The Stars Shine Bright, her favorite Lolita design house. She travels all the way to Tokyo to shop at its store.
To help fund her expensive hobby, Momoko runs a classified ad offering brand-name knock-off clothes (produced by her dad) for sale. She encounters a buyer named Ichigo (Anna Tsuchiya), a super-rebel, “Yankee”-style member of the Ponytails motorbike gang, one of Ibaraki’s “Wild speed tribes.” Somewhat against Momoko’s will, she and Ichigo slowly develop a strong friendship as they share their feelings on the odd goings-on around them and discover they have more in common than they expected.
About NEW PEOPLE: NEW PEOPLE is a 20,000 square foot, striking, contemporary building located at 1746 Post Street in the heart of San Francisco’s Japantown. As a new destination and source of stimulation for both San Francisco locals and tourists, NEW PEOPLE will bring a new cultural energy to an area filled with history. With three stories above and a basement below, NEW PEOPLE will share Japanese cinema, retail, and art, all under one roof. NEW PEOPLE will attract those eager to explore new cultural inspirations or who would like a crash course in Japanese popular culture.
A film by Tetsuya Nakashima
103 mins
Japanese with English Subtitles
Friday August 14, 2009
at 8:15PM
Japantown Peace Plaza
Post Street at Buchanan Street
San Francisco, CA
Early arrival highly suggested
Seating is first-come, first-served.
***Swing by for some frozen yogurt at Jubili at 1515 Fillmore Street and buy one get one free with this invite! Offer valid on Friday, August 14th ONLY. Second item must be of equal or lesser value. Print this this invite to redeem offer.
**Calling all Lolitas and Yankis! Rock your best Lolita or Yanki threads and enter the KAMIKAZE GIRLS FASHION SHOW and enter to win a surPrize, compliments of CAAM, Japantown Merchants Association and Viz Pictures!
Promotional Partners:
4Fifteen Clothing
angryasianman.com
Giant Robot
Hyphen Magazine
Japan Society
Special Thanks to:
