Film News: Asian Pop-Up Cinema ‘Audience Choice Winners Rewind’ Finale, May 30-31, 2020

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CHICAGO – The Asian Pop-Up Cinema (APUC) of Chicago is highlighting their past program line up of award-winning and culturally important films with “Audience Choice Winners Rewind” – an event that allows streaming the films on specific dates throughout the next several weeks. All it takes to access the films for FREE is to register at the APUC website on the day the film is schedule to stream.

The Final Weekend of “Rewind” features are all from Japan. May 30th, 2020, is “I Am a Monk” (click here) regards Susumu, a “civilian” who inherits the mantle of abbot at a Buddhist temple after his grandfather dies, and has a hard time living up to his community’s expectations.

And on May 31st, “Fly Me to Saitama” (click here) is Hideki Takeuchi’s hilarious adaptation of a 1980s manga about an alternative-universe rebellion by the natives of the capital’s much mocked suburb.

‘Fly Me to the Saitama,’ Directed by Hideki Takemuchi
Photo credit: AsianPopUpCinema.org

Chicago’s Asian Pop-Up Cinema – curated by veteran film programmer Sophia Wong Boccio – is dedicated to highlighting films in different Asian territories … for example in Season Ten it was Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, South Korea and Japan. Most of the screenings are presented at the festival’s primary venue, AMC River East 21 in Chicago’s Streeterville neighborhood, and other select titles are screened at the venues of APUC’s collaborative partners. Season 11 is scheduled for Fall of 2020.

For an interview with director Hidecki Takeuchi of “Fly Me to Saitama” with Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com, click here.

By PATRICK McDONALD Editor and Film Writer HollywoodChicago.com pat@hollywoodchicago.com