Paprika
The Frida Cinema's seating is first-come, first-serve. For our Midnight Screenings, please plan on arriving by 11:30pm to ensure ample time for parking, picking up concessions, and securing optimal seats. Screening will begin promptly at midnight.
Director: Satoshi Kon Run Time: 90 min. Release Year: 2006 Language: Japanese
Starring: Akio Otsuka, Katsunosuke Hori, Megumi Hayashibara, Tohru Emori, Toru Furuya
In celebration of their extraordinary new exhibit Asian Comics: Evolution of an Art Form, the Bowers Museum comes to The Frida Cinema to present a special screening of
Satoshi Kon’s acclaimed 2006 science fiction fantasy, Paprika.
A visually stunning and mind-bending anime film that explores the boundaries between dreams and reality, Paprika follows Dr. Atsuko Chiba, a brilliant scientist who, under the alias “Paprika,” uses an experimental device called the DC Mini to enter and explore the dreams of her patients, and in the process, helping them confront their subconscious issues. When the device is stolen however, it unleashes chaos as dreams begin to merge with reality, threatening to engulf the waking world. With the help of her colleagues, Chiba must retrieve the DC Mini, and stop the dream-terrorists.
Celebrated for its dazzling animation and intricate plot, Paprika is a surreal journey that delves into themes of identity, technology, and the power of the subconscious. The film was lauded at international film festivals, including the Venice Film Festival and the Tokyo International Film Festival, and has been noted for its influence on works of Western cinema, particularly Christopher Nolan’s Inception. A landmark in animated cinema, best experienced on the big screen. Rated R for action violence, cartoon nudity and a few sexual references.
About Asian Comics: Evolution of an Art Form
Never-before-seen at a museum and making its American debut, Asian Comics: Evolution of an Art Form presents the largest ever selection of original artworks from Asian comics, displayed alongside their printed, mass-produced forms. This exhibition is a vivid journey through the art of comics and visual storytelling across Asia. From its historical roots to the most recent digital innovations, the exhibition looks to popular Japanese manga and beyond, highlighting key creators, characters, and publications. Explore thriving contemporary comics cultures and traditional graphic narrative artforms from places including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, North Korea, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Tibet, and Vietnam.
Visitors to Asian Comics will dive into a kaleidoscope of diverse stories, from fantastical folklore, pivotal historical moments, revealing memoirs, and challenging expressions of freedom. Discover acclaimed and influential creators from Osamu Tezuka, Zao Dao, Morel, Hur Young Man, and Lat, to genre innovators and under-represented artists including Abhishek Singh and Miki Yamamoto. See how their work has influenced cinema, animation, fashion, visual art, music, and videogames, and get creative in the accompanying makerspace that’s fun for all ages.
Curated by Paul Gravett with a team of more than twenty international advisors, Asian Comics features over 400 works — the largest selection of artworks from the continent — including Japanese woodblock prints, Hindu scroll paintings, digital media, printed comics, and contemporary illustrations. This unique exhibition makes its North American debut at Bowers Museum and offers a gateway to an unexplored world of graphic storytelling and its artistic value.
