︎
AD Movie Club #1
Tokyo Sonata (Dir. Kiyoshi Kurosawa - 2008)


For the first episode of AD’s Movie Club, Justin will be discussing Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s 2008 Film Tokyo Sonata with three of his close friends.
First, we are joined by photographer and podcast host, Yoshino.

Yoshino uses his photography to draw out deep lingering emotions while seeking to unveil a psychological truth embedded within all of us. He attempts to create a dichotomy and a confluence between his observations, molding them together between varying ideas and disparate elements. With these images, he invites the viewer to enter his world and to give space for the contemplation of their own personal framework and reality.

Yoshino is also the host of the Artist Decoded podcast.

Amirtha Kidambi is a composer, performer, and professor currently living in New York City.

Kidambi earned an M.A. in Ethnomusicology from Columbia University, an M.M. in Voice and Musicology at CUNY Brooklyn College, and a B.A. in Voice from Loyola Marymount University. She currently serves on the faculty for the New School, teaching music history courses and heading a large-scale curriculum development project. She has also served on the faculty at Brooklyn College.

Ru Storey (They/Them)is a Los Angeles-based queer skater, graphic designer, and editor.
Ru and Justin are currently working on a short film to be premiered this summer.

Justin Daashuur Hopkins is an internationally exhibited artist and award-winning director.

Show Notes:
  • 00:01:47 - Tokyo Sonata’s plot 
  • 00:04:39 - First reactions/thoughts on the patriarchy 
  • 00:09:03 - The historical context of duty and shame 
  • 00:14:00 - Structural issues of society and power dynamics 
  • 00:24:00 - Questioning your reality and moving towards self-actualization 
  • 00:35:38 - Reflections on the conversation 
  • 00:39:04 - Elements of a sonata 
  • 00:50:12 - Relinquishing of authoritarian control 
  • 01:00:58 - Wrap up



In next month’s episode will be covering the 1953 masterpiece by Yasujirō Ozu, “Tokyo Story”.

Credits:
The opening music is “Sugary Plum” written and performed by Double Wish
All other music is written and performed by Justin Daashuur Hopkins.
Big thanks to Mubi for sponsoring this podcast.

Watch On MUBI:
www.mubi.com/artistdecoded

Posted 6.28.2021


About

"I started this series as a means for exploration, an exploration of self, and an exploration of the perspectives of other artists.

This series is an unabridged documentation of conversations between artists. It’s a series dedicated to breaking down the barriers we tend to set up in our own minds. I want to inspire future creatives to have the courage to explore and experiment. This is about making dreams a reality and not about letting our dreams fall to the wayside.

My intention is to give my audience a sense of real human connection, something that feels rich and organic.

When I was thinking of a title I thought of the word “movement”.

In relation to the Renaissance period in art, my goal for this program is to signify a rebirth of consciousness towards the way we look at contemporary art."

- Yoshino
Contact

info@artistdecoded.com