Perfect Days
July 16 | 7:00 pm
The Helene and Stephen Weicholz Global Film Series
In Japanese with English subtitles
Japan / Rated PG / Directed by Wim Wenders / 2023 / Drama / 123 minutes
Hirayama is content with his life as a toilet cleaner in Tokyo. Outside of his structured routine he cherishes music on cassette tapes, books, and taking photos of trees. Through unexpected encounters, he reflects on finding beauty in the world.
The theme of this year’s trio of films is The Pursuit of Happiness.
“In our fractious and contentious world, we all seek different ways of finding happiness. Sometimes we find it in love, other times in the pleasures of the senses, and even in the simplicity of daily tasks. Our series will focus on three poignant and satisfying international films that explore the many paths to happiness.” —Dale Pollock
Explore the series’ films with Dale, as he discusses:
- Why the filmmaker chooses to explore this particular path to happiness
- How they do so by various cinematic techniques (camera, sound, design)
- How each of these explorations pursues a particular style of storytelling
- Why all of the characters, in the end, achieve their goal.
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR
Wim Wenders came to international prominence as one of the pioneers of German Cinema during the 1970s and is now considered one of the most important figures in contemporary film. In addition to his many prize-winning feature films, his work as a scriptwriter, director, producer, photographer and author also encompasses an abundance of innovative documentary films. His career as a filmmaker began in 1967 when he enrolled at the newly founded University of Television and Film Munich. After The Goalie’s Anxiety at the Penalty Kick (1971), his first feature length film, Wenders turned to shooting his road movie trilogy, Alice in the Cities (1973), Wrong Move (1975) and Kings of the Road (1976), in which his protagonists try to come to terms with their rootlessness in post-war Germany. His international breakthrough came with The American Friend (1977), an adaptation of a Patricia Highsmith novel. Awards include the Golden Lion at the international Film Festival in Venice for The State of Things (1982); the Golden Palm at the Cannes Festival and the BAFTA Film Award for Paris, Texas (1984); the Director’s Prize in Cannes for Wings of Desire (1987); or the Silver Bear for The Million Dollar Hotel (2000) at the Berlin International Film Festival. His documentary films Buena Vista Social Club (1999), Pina (2011), and The Salt of the Earth (2014) have all been nominated for an Oscar.
LOCATION: Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts, 733 Rivers St., Boone, NC 28608
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact the Box Office at theschaefercenter@appstate.edu or call 800-841-2787 or 828-262-4046.
ACCOMMODATION STATEMENT: Appalachian is committed to providing an inclusive experience for individuals with disabilities. If accommodations are needed in order to fully participate on the basis of a disability, contact the Office of Disability Resources (828.262.3056). It is recommended that accommodation requests be made two weeks prior to the event.
TICKETS: $10
SHOWTIME:
Tuesday, July 16, 2024 | 7pm
Doors open at 6pm
ACCOMMODATION STATEMENT: Appalachian is committed to providing an inclusive experience for individuals with disabilities. If accommodations are needed in order to fully participate on the basis of a disability, contact the Office of Disability Resources (828.262.3056). It is recommended that accommodation requests be made two weeks prior to the event.
ABOUT THE CURATOR
Dale M. Pollock, a native of Cleveland, Ohio, received a BA in Anthropology from Brandeis University in 1972 and a MS in Communications from San Jose State University. In 1977, he became the head film critic for Daily Variety until he was hired by the Los Angeles Times to be their chief entertainment correspondent. He was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in the early 1980s and wrote Skywalking: The Life and Films of George Lucas in 1983, which has sold more than 150,000 copies and remains in print. In 1985, Pollock joined David Geffen’s company as a development executive, where he discovered the scripts for Beetlejuice, The Burbs and Universal Soldier. He joined A&M Films as vice president in charge of production, and was named president in 1990, producing such films as The Beast, The Mighty Quinn, A Midnight Clear and Mrs. Winterbourne. Pollock ran his own film company, Peak Productions, for 10 years, producing the box office hit Set It Off. He co-founded the producing program at the American Film Institute in 1995. In 1999, he became Dean of the School of Filmmaking at the (then) North Carolina School of the Arts, stepping down in 2006 to become Professor of Cinema Studies. He was awarded Emeritus status in 2019 and served as Interim Dean for nine months in 2021. Pollock was awarded an Endowed Professorship in Film in his name at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts School of Filmmaking in 2014 and is the 2016 recipient of the UNC Board of Governors Award for Teaching Excellence. He also received the 2020 Arts Council of Winston Salem’s Annual Award, its highest honor. Pollock’s first work of fiction, Chopped: A Novel, was published in March 2023, and is available on Amazon and at bookstores everywhere. The audio book, narrated by Pollock, will debut in April 2024 on Audible and other services. Pollock is at work on his next historical novel, set in Winston-Salem, NC at the end of World War I.
