Welcome to the blog for the Japan Society Film Program, featuring updates on our events and screenings as well as news and analysis of Japanese cinema at large.

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A few weeks ago we screened Takahisa Zeze’s 278 minute long Heaven’s Story. That film also screened in Montreal a few weeks later at the Fantasia fest. The Montreal World Film Festival announced its line-up on Tuesday and Zeze’s latest film, Life Back Then, is in competition. The film, according to the festival’s press release, is about, “two people who work with a service specializing in the cleaning up of houses and the disposal of property left behind by people who die alone.” Sounds bleak, but the release also notes the two, “come to realize the preciousness and joy of life by dealing with death.” No word on how long it is, but one can only guess it isn’t running the four-and-a-half hours Heaven’s Story did. Either way Montreal’s definitely getting their fill of Zeze these days, so if you were a fan of Heaven’s Story a road trip might be in order.