Japanese Filmmaker Visits U of A to Screen First Film at Giffels Auditorium

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Hiroyuki Ono

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. —Hiroyuki Ono, Japanese filmmaker and noted Charlie Chaplin scholar, will show and discuss his first film, Uzumasa Limelight, at 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 28 in Giffels Auditorium in Old Main. The event is free and the public is welcome. The film will be shown in Japanese with English subtitles.

Ono wrote and produced the film, creating a modern day Japanese cultural adaptation of Chaplin's classic film Limelight.

Uzumasa Limelight tells the story of an aging film extra (Seizo Fukumoto) who has spent his career being “killed” in sword fights by the hero in countless samurai films and a television series. In this genre, in fact, he is an unsung “star” – an artist of the death scene – but the times, technology and audience are changing – even as his body begins to fail him.

Uzumasa Limelight earned several film festival awards following its release and was a popular success in Japan, as well.

Hiroyuki will introduce the film and describe making it – as well as the challenges of adapting Chaplin’s tone and themes to the Japanese culture.

The visit and screening are being sponsored by the Department of Communication Film Appreciation Society.