This documentary follows Akira Emoto and Tatsuki Nishimoto of the theatrical troupe Gekidan Tokyo Kandenzu as they tour independent cinemas across Japan with their staged reading of "Ima wa Mukashi, Eiyo Eigakan" (Once Upon a Time, the Nutrition Cinema). Originally a masterpiece of absurdist theater by playwright Juichiro Takeuchi that premiered in 1983, the play was performed in its entirety as a staged reading by the duo of Emoto and Nishimoto in November 2024. It went on to have multiple encore performances at "Atelier Kandenzu," the troupe's rehearsal space and theater in Shimokitazawa, Tokyo. Because the play depicts the banter between a director and an assistant director waiting for a film's completion ceremony to begin in a movie theater, screenwriter and director Haruhiko Arai—who attended a performance—conceived the idea of staging the reading in actual cinemas. A month-long tour of 24 independent cinemas across the country took place from May 1 to 31, 2025, receiving critical acclaim from film and theater enthusiasts in every region. This film captures their journey, showing Emoto, Nishimoto, and fellow members of Gekidan Tokyo Kandenzu as they travel to cinemas across Japan in a single van. Masaaki Takeda, who has served as an assistant director on works by directors Haruhiko Arai and Sang-il Lee, handled the direction, cinematography, and editing.
Source: cinematokyo.com · Tokyo mini-theater & independent cinema showtimes.