Presented by Pacific Arts Movement, producers of the San Diego Asian Film Festival
CINEMATHEK is a year-round screening series presented by Pacific Arts Movement (Pac Arts) and Digital Gym Cinema (DGC), launching in June 2025. Inspired by Pac Arts’ early Film Forums, CINEMATHEK offers members and the public year-round access to curated screenings of classic, cult, and newly restored Asian and Asian American films. Hosted at Digital Gym Cinema, CINEMATHEK strengthens community ties, builds new audiences, and celebrates the best of Asian cinema in one of San Diego’s last remaining venues for independent and international films.
Synopsis: Kikujiro is a whimsical summer odyssey that follows Masao (Yusuke Sekiguchi), a quiet 9-year-old boy who decides to search for the mother he’s never met. His unlikely companion is Kikujiro (Takeshi Kitano), a childish, irresponsible man roped into chaperoning him after his wife hands him 50,000 yen. What begins as a simple road trip unfolds into a whimsical, unpredictable adventure. Along the way, the odd pair encounters a cast of eccentric and kindhearted misfits, forming a strange but touching bond. With moments of absurdist humor and gentle melancholy, Kikujiro channels the spirit of a Studio Ghibli tale through Kitano’s offbeat lens—blending heart, hilarity, and humanity on the road to unexpected connection.
