Select Japan and Kabuki Club present a special preview of Lee Sang-il's Kokuho.
Hosted by actor and theatre-maker Suleiman Suleiman, this Kabuki salon invites audiences into the world of Kabuki through a short performative introduction, setting the scene for the film and offering a poetic lens through which to experience its themes and aesthetic.
Guests will receive a complimentary glass of sake and enter a carefully curated atmosphere inspired by Japanese theatre before settling in for the screening.
Following the film, audiences are invited to stay on for an informal drink and conversation in the bar.
About the film:
After the death of his father, the leader of a yakuza gang, fourteen-year-old Kikuo is taken in by a renowned Kabuki actor and introduced to the demanding world of traditional theatre. Growing up alongside Shunsuke, the actor’s only son, the two boys devote their lives to the stage - training, performing, and competing as their bond shifts between brotherhood and rivalry.
Spanning decades of ambition, scandals, loyalty, and betrayal, Kokuho traces the extraordinary journey of two performers chasing greatness, as one rises to become a legendary master of Kabuki. The highest-grossing live-action film of all time in Japan and an Academy Award nominee, the film is an epic portrait of artistry, sacrifice, and the relentless pursuit of perfection.
Event timings:
15:30-16:00 Sake in the Atrium Bar
16:00-16:20 Introduction
16:20-19:15 Screening of Kokuho
Tickets for this event are £17 for members and £20 for non-members. All tickets include a glass of sake, or non-alcoholic alternative.
