Montreal Cultural Calendar

Original Japanese version with English subtitles. Comedy, 2023, 126 min., dir. Masayuki Suzuki. By the screenwriter behind the Academy Award-winning film "Departures" and boasting a large all-star cast, this feel-good comedy is a love letter to Japan's bathhouses, featuring themes such as nostalgia, tradition, and inescapably changing times. Its set, a carefully crafted reconstruction of a Showa-era building, is one of the storytellers through its every detail imbued with history. Limited seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis; no reservations required.

Original Japanese version with French subtitles. Drama, 1954, 102 min., dir. Kenji Mizoguchi. Then at the very pinnacle of his art, master director Kenji Mizoguchi delivers here yet another meticulously constructed classic showcasing some of his signature themes, such as gender inequality, and his critical view of feudal society. Limited seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis; no reservations required.

Original Japanese version with English subtitles. Drama, 2021, 126 min., dir. Miwa Nishikawa. Koji Yakusho's riveting performance is the main force behind this compelling and socially conscious film. After a 13-year stint in prison for murder, the protagonist, a former yakuza on a quest to live the remainder of his life with dignity, struggles with social expectations and unavoidable alienation. A touching tale punctuated by bursts of humor. Limited seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis; no reservations required.