Friday, March 2 – Sunday, March 18, 2012, at Japan Society

New York, NY – Bad romance, blind love, amour fou: this spring Japan Society screens a series of twisted, heart-blazing films from Japan and Korea. Will Tear Us Apart, the sixth annual Globus Film Series, runs March 2-18 at Japan Society, and showcases select seminal stories of love gone wrong, erotic obsession and the lyrical, sometimes sadistic, and ever-elusive nature of sexual and sentimental passions.

Featuring 22 feature length and 2 short films–mostly from the past decade with a few classics from as far back as 1969–the Love Will Tear Us Apart lineup includes the U.S. premiere of Shinya Tsukamoto’s latest film, KOTOKO, and the world premiere of Koji Wakamatsu’s Petrel Hotel Blue, as well as Hirokazu Kore’eda’s Air Doll, Nagisa Oshima’s arch-classic In the Realm of the Senses, Yukio Ninagawa’s Snakes and Earrings, Lee Sang-il’s Villain, Lee Chang-dong’s Oasis, and Kim Ki-duk’s Bad Guy, among other twisted tales of star-crossed lovers on the rocks and on the run.

The series kicks off March 2 with KOTOKO, hosted by actress Hyunri, whose short Romance precedes the feature screening. The screening is followed by the MAKE LOVE Party. Festive attire–from mini-gowns to hot pants–favoring pinks or reds is recommended, and the evening concludes with a live performance by Brooklyn-based Japanese band Hard Nips.

Among further special events, film scholar John Berra (Dictionary of World Cinema: Japan) introduces the March 3 screenings of Air Doll, My Dear Enemy, Vital and A Snake of June. Film historian Go Hirasawa introduces the March 8 screening of The Woman Who Wanted to Die.

Aside from its thematic thrust, Love Will Tear Us Apart celebrates two major East Asian film industries concomitantly, covering what could be described as a transnational “cinema of transgression” that goes beyond borders. “Beyond the obvious geographic pairing, the complex relationship between Korea and Japan provides a fascinating and inextricably entwined coupling of national cinematic identities, which are at once complementary and conflicting,” says Samuel Jamier, chief film programmer at Japan Society, who curated the series.

He continues: “Although both Japanese and Korean films and filmmakers demonstrate unique preoccupations, narrative traditions, structures and cultural sensibilities, a considerable amount of shared ground is shown, leading directly to unique avenues of artistic collaboration (Korean actress Bae Doo-Na and director Hirokazu Kore’eda, Kim Ki-duk and Joe Odagiri), and ultimately revealing a similar visual grammar and inclination towards the emotional violence that flows beneath the quiet surface of societal restraints.”

Another layer of the series is the focus it brings onto the works of film directors Shinya Tsukamoto (3 films, including the U.S. premiere of his critically acclaimed KOTOKO), Koji Wakamatsu (3 films, including a world premiere), and the enfant terrible of Korean cinema, Kim Ki-duk (3 films). The Korean selection aims to capture a “best of” contemporary Korean cinema, with offerings from the most prominent filmmakers from the peninsula: Lee Chang-dong, Hong Sang-soo, and Lee Yoon-ki, in addition to Kim Ki-duk.

Tickets are $12 / $9 Japan Society members, seniors and students, except for the March 2 screening of KOTOKO, $20/$15 Japan Society members, seniors and students. Purchases of more than 5 tickets for at least 5 different films receive $2 off each ticket.

Love Will Tear Us Apart runs March 2 – March 18, 2012, takes place Sunday, September 1:00-8:00 pm. Japan Society is located at 333 East 47th Street between First and Second avenues (accessible by the 4/5/6 and 7 subway at Grand Central or the E and V subway at Lexington Avenue). Tickets are $12 / $9 Japan Society members, except for the March 2 opening night screening of KOTOKO, $20/$15 Japan Society members, including MAKING LOVE after party. Purchases of more than 5 tickets for at least 5 different films receive $2 off each ticket. Tickets can be purchased in person at Japan Society, by calling the box office at 212-715-1258, or by visiting www.japansociety.org. For more information, call 212-832-1155 or visit the website. ‘)}