On this episode, we focus on one of the grandmasters of classic Japanese cinema, world-renowned filmmaker Ozu Yasujiro. We look at 3 of his earlier films, starting with "There Was a Father," shot during World War II, as well as 2 of his pre-war silent classics: "Passing Fancy" and "Dragnet Girl." Discussing the appeal of Ozu's works and offering advice for newcomers to his films on how to better appreciate them is our guest Markus Nornes, professor at the University of Michigan and one of the leading authorities on Japanese cinema. Also, don't miss our special guest, "benshi" narrator Koyata Aso, as she performs selected scenes from Ozu's silent masterpieces. In addition, we present Nishikawa Miwa's "Under the Open Sky," winner of the Audience Choice Award at the 2020 Chicago International Film Festival. [Navigator] Shizuka Anderson [Guests] Markus Nornes (Professor, Asian Cinema, University of Michigan) Koyata Aso (Benshi Live Narrator)