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This fortnight's film is The Sun, directed by Alexander Sokurov. It stars Issei Ogata and Robert Dawson. Ally is joined by podcaster Joel Torres, who co-hosts Please Don't Send Me into Outer Space, and High & Low: A Kurosawa Podcast. SPOILERS from about 23 minutes in until the end. If you'd like to get in touch and tell us what you thought of the film and/or the podcast episode, here are some ways you can do that: Twitter: @RussophilesU Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/russophilesunite/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/ Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_
This Japanese film directed by Jun Ichikawa is based on the short story by Haruki Murakami. In it a reclusive illustrator (Issei Ogata) falls in love with a young woman (Rie Miyazawa) who addictively shops for clothing. Haruki Murakami was intrigued by the name Tony Takitani when, at a garage sale on Maui, he found a yellow T-shirt that said, "Tony Takitani, House (D)." At the time, Takitani was running for office. Murakami decided to write the man's life story as this novel. Stream online: https://amzn.to/2XHMxlW