January 18: View the classic Japanese film “Gion Bayashi” at IMA

Watch “Gion Bayashi,” a classic of Japanese cinema, then head upstairs to see the IMA's remarkable collection of Japanese art and pottery

When: Thursday January 18, 7:00 PM
Where: Indianapolis Museum of Art, DeBoest Lecture Hall


This classic Japanese film (1953, dir. Kenji Mizoguchi, 85 mins) follows the training and daily life of a young geisha and her mentor in the Gion district of Kyoto. The movie, a realistic and sympathetic portrayal of geisha, is in Japanese with English subtitles. Presented by the Asian Art Society. Summary:

In the post-war Gion district of Kyoto, the geisha Miyoharu agrees to apprentice
the 16 year-old Eiko, whose mother was a former geisha who had just died. After
a year of training they have to find a large sum of money before Eiko can debut.
Miyoharu borrows the money from the tea-house owner, Okimi, who in turn obtains
the money from the businessman Kusuda. Kusuda fancies Eiko himself and wants to
give Miyoharu to Kanzaki in order to close a large business deal. However both
geishas have minds of their own and, going against tradition, want to be able to
say no to clients.

The film explores the clash of pre-war traditionalism in the pleasure quarters with the new atmosphere of individual liberty and equal rights for women in post-war Japan.

The film showing is free. Make sure you view the IMA's excellent collection of Japanese art, including ceramics, lacquer ware, woodblock prints, sculpture and paintings, and one of the finest collections of Edo-period painting in the U.S. The collection also offers contemporary ceramics by Japan's leading artists.

If this event sounds interesting, you should check out the equally classic Japanese film Kaidan on April 28 as part of the IMA's series of films that have inspired the Cuban artist Magdalena Maria Campos-Pons. And definitely attend the Indianapolis International Film Festival April 25 to May 4.

Return to IndyBuzz List of Events for Spring

Return to IndyBuzz Themes for Events in the Spring

Visit IndyBuzz's sister site "Views-PRI" for an essay that connects many of the events related to Asian economy and culture: "China, Japan, Indiana: Eastern and Midwestern Cultures Mingle."