By: Maria Cieslarczyk
The fourth annual CJFC (Chicago Japan Film Collective) is back with this year’s theme of “Co-existence,” featuring 11 new films over the course of 11 days.
As an Asian-American woman working in media and entertainment, I highly encourage you all to check out foreign films, especially when the opportunity arises. Film collectives such as this one are a fantastic way to open the door for more diversity and inclusion both on-screen and off-screen.
The CJFC was founded in 2021 as the first Japanese film festival in the Midwest. Its purpose is to help bridge cultures and showcase the beauty, empowerment, and appreciation of Japanese cinema.
This year, 6 films are international, 3 are US, and 2 are North American premieres. There are 9 exclusively virtual screenings while in-theater screenings for 2 films are being held at the Music Boy Theater in Chicago on Sunday, Nov. 17th and Nov. 24th.
This week, I did a North American premiere screening of the film “’Til The Day I Can Laugh About My Blues” directed by Takeda Karin. The film is available to screen across the US until Nov 24th at 11:59 pm CST. Link for a virtual ticket here.
A coming-of-age drama, the film explores the unlikely friendship between Ayako, a shy bullied student, and Aina, the ghost of a girl who jumped from the school roof years prior.
The story begins with a haunting quote “people aren’t kind to you unless you die.” Ayako’s quiet demeanor has isolated her from her former friends, so she dedicates her free time to caring for the classroom goldfish and visiting a local shop. One day, the shopowner of Tsurukame Mart tells Ayako that she reminds her of another young girl she once knew. She gifts her a kaleidoscope and instructs her to chant the words “Twinkle twinkle, twirl twirl.”
Little does Ayako know…it’s a magic spell!
Soon, Ayako meets Aina, who holds another kaleidoscope that transcends space and time, allowing the girls to see one another…and from there, the rest is history.
The title of the film derives from the story’s beginning, in which Ayako mentions that everything she hates is associated with the color “blue.”
Although quite more emotional than I had anticipated, my inner film critic enjoyed the beautiful wide shots of the Japanese town setting (including the lush neighborhood greenery and school shots), as well as the canted angles in between emotional monologues. The montages of the unforgettable summer that Ayako and Aina spent together is edited in an aesthetically-pleasing way with lighter tones and a prime focus on establishing the small-town location.
The CJFC theme of “co-existence” is prevalent as the two girls develop an unbreakable bond and get to know the depth of each other’s souls. Although neither fits into the status quo, it goes to show that having a big heart is actually a strength, not a weakness. Another takeaway from the story-line is that love and light are found…sometimes in the most unlikely of places (or people)!
T’was a real tearjerker…if drama isn’t your thing, I recommend checking out the other chosen films from this year’s collective.
I’m looking forward to seeing the Chicago-Japan Film Collective continue to grow and hopefully have more in-person screenings next year!
The Filmscape Reverie 
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