World Premiere, Live Music Event
Experience the world premiere of a new, original score for Ozu's silent gangster epic about redemption and romance.
This Japanese gangster-crime drama centers around the triangular relationship between career criminal Joji, his gangster moll Tokiko, and Kazuko, the proverbial girl-next-door. When Kazuko’s younger brother joins Joji’s gang, Kazuko does everything she can to untangle her foolhardy brother from a life of crime. Meanwhile, Joji—awed by Kazuko’s faith in society, family, and her ability to see the good in everyone—becomes increasingly smitten with her, much to the chagrin of his longtime girlfriend and partner-in-crime, Tokiko. As Kazuko finds herself pulled deeper into Joji’s world, Tokiko is willing to do whatever it takes to preserve her relationship and her status as queen of the underworld. [100 min; drama, romance; silent with Japanese title cards and English subtitles]
Coinciding with the 120th anniversary of Yasujirō Ozu's birth and the 60th anniversary of his death this year, this screening will be accompanied by the debut of a new live score composed by IU Jacobs student Ebenezer Eferobor, orchestrated by Kyle Peter Rotolo, and performed by IU Jacobs student musicians.
Ebenezer Eferobor is a Los Angeles-based composer and sound designer who works on music, films, and commercials. He has composed for the films Confession (dir. Justin Lombardi) and Holding Back (dir. Emily McKney), and collaborated with Film Independent. As an emerging sound designer and composer, Ebenezer seeks projects that advance the narrative function of sound and music in media. His work revolves around exploring the transformative power of sound, and he believes music and sound serve as conduits for storytelling and human connection, enabling meaningful engagement with one another and the natural world.
"The deep shadows, the jarring angles and cuts, and the idiosyncratic whims of gesture evoke a sorry underworld that's out of joint, out of luck, and out of time." — Richard Brody, New Yorker
"With effortlessly cool performances and visual inventiveness, Dragnet Girl is a bravura work from Yasujiro Ozu." — Criterion Collection
Any film screened at IU Cinema may contain content that viewers find sensitive or upsetting. Visit our Audience Advisories page to learn more.
