Free Japanese film screening - Massey University

Jenna from Glenfield

Jiro dreams of flying and designing airplanes. Near-sighted from a young age, he is unable to become a pilot, so he joins the aircraft division of a major Japanese engineering company. His genius is soon recognised, and he grows to become one of the world’s most accomplished airplane designers.

The Wind Rises, which will screen at Massey University’s Auckland campus next month, chronicles much of his life, and depicts key historical events including The Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, the Great Depression, the tuberculosis epidemic and Japan’s plunge into war.

Director Hayao Miyazaki brings together real life aircraft engineer Jiro Horikoshi and The Wind Has Risen author Tatsuo Hori, who lived during the time of the story of The Wind Rises, to create Jiro - a fictional character at the centre of an epic tale of love, perseverance, and the challenges of living and making choices in a turbulent world.

The Wind Rises will screen at Massey University’s Auckland campus at Albany on Wednesday August 7. The monthly Japanese films play on the first Wednesday of the month, at 6.30pm. Preceding the main feature is a short documentary on life and culture in Japan, which starts at 6.15pm. Unless specified, the films are screened in the Sir Neil Waters lecture theatre in room SNW100. There is free parking available on campus.

The Wind Rises is rated PG-13
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Running time: 126 minutes