SILVER

[NAGARERU 流れる]
One of director Mikio Naruse's most sublime achievements traces the fortunes of a geisha house struggling to survive in the face of a changing society. As seen through the eyes of the establishment's new maid (Kinuyo Tanaka), FLOWING centers on the attempts of the brothel's mistress (Isuzu Yamada) to save her house from obsolescence, even as her daughter (Hideko Takamine) wishes for a different life. A superlative showcase for three of Japan's greatest actresses, this masterpiece from Naruse's richest period is an exquisite evocation of a lost world passing into the realm of history. (Note adapted from The Criterion Collection.) DIR Mikio Naruse; SCR Toshirō Ide, Sumie Tanaka, from the novel by Aya Kōda; PROD Sanezumi Fujimoto. Japan, 1956, b&w, 117 min. In Japanese with English subtitles. NOT RATED

35mm print courtesy of the Japan Foundation Film Library.

AFI Member passes accepted.