New 4K Restoration
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One of Yasujirō Ozu’s rarest films, now restored in a beautiful new 4K restoration, The Munekata Sisters is an atmospheric tale of two sisters starring great Hideko Takamine and Kinuyo Tanaka. Caring for her ailing father in Kyoto, Mariko (Takamine) runs into an old friend, Hiroshi (Ken Uehara), and learns he once harboured feelings for her sister Setsuko (Tanaka) but never acted on them before leaving to France. With her sister stuck in a loveless marriage, Mariko sees an opportunity to rekindle these old flames, making strides to reunite them. But her scheme proves to be difficult within the confines of traditional society, and to complicate things further she too is secretly in love with Hiroshi.
Screening here for the first time, The Munekata Sisters saw Ozu departing from his usual Shochiku format for the first time for a job with major studio Toho. Even in a new environment, with a new cast and a story adapted from a popular novel by Jirō Osaragi, Ozu’s direction soars with his signature style shining strong as ever, coupled with an ensemble of powerful performances.