KZNSA’S CINEMA THURSDAY

“Kikujirô no natsu” for KZNSA Gallery picnic screening on September 2.

Every first and third Thursday of the month, the KZNSA Gallery lawn transforms into a picnic theatre with a selection of international art-house, classic, foreign, experimental and generally interesting films.

The programme offers an eclectic mix of memorable films from across space and time for those who have a taste for the alternative. The goal of Cinema Thursday Picnic Screenings is to contribute to the development of a culture of film appreciation and filmmaking in Durban, and not for the financial gain of the organisers. However, there are running costs incurred by the KZNSA Gallery which they need help in covering, such as set-up costs and the security guard. A collection box will be passed around at the screenings for those who wish to place a donation.

On September 2, the movie will be the Japanese film, Kikujirô no natsu, directed in 1999 by Takeshi Kitano.

The press notice reads: “When young Masao, under the guardianship of his grandmother, finds himself feeling lonely and abandoned during his summer holidays, he decides to set out to find his long lost mother. His journey is intercepted by a friend of his grandmother, who sends her husband, Kikujiro, to accompany him on his journey. But as it turns out, the ex-Yakuza, bad-mannered man may be more of a child than Masao. Their excursion to the cycle races is the first of a series of adventures for the unlikely pair which soon turns out to be a whimsical journey of laughter and tears with a wide array of surprises and odd ball characters they meet along the way. This film is just wonderful.” NB: PG 13 (But mostly suitable for all ages)

Bring blankets, snacks and vino, and relive the era of the drive-in as the screen flickers under the starry sky. If the temperamental Durban weather threatens to rain on the parade, the screening will move inside to the tiered café seating.