Canterbury Film Society: The Cats of Gokōgū Shrine
Advertisement
Canterbury Film Society presents The Cats of Gokōgū Shrine
Gokōgū is a small, ancient Shintō shrine in Ushimado, Japan, on the Seto Inland Sea. Home to dozens of street cats, it is also known as the “Cat Shrine.”
Many people visit the shrine for various reasons: some to worship gods, others to enjoy gardening. Some people come to clean the shrine as volunteers while others just stop by on their way to fish Japanese sardinella – and it is the perfect place for kids to play after school. In addition, some people visit Gokōgū to feed the freely roaming stray cats. Others just come to see these cats or to take pictures of them.
It is a heaven for cat-loving residents and visitors, but some residents complain about the waste the cats leave around the neighborhood. Gokōgū looks peaceful on the surface, but it is also the epicenter of a sensitive issue that divides the local community.
In 2021, after living in New York City for 27 years, director Kazuhiro Soda and Kiyoko Kashiwagi relocated to Ushimado where they had previously filmed Oyster Factory (2015) and Inland Sea (2018). As new settlers, the couple tried to blend into Ushimado’s local community and thus got caught up in the problem around the cats of Gokōgū. The filmmakers started rolling their camera to observe and depict the aging, traditional community and its spiritual center Gokōgū. The result is a beautiful and cruel, simple yet complex portrayal of the universe of Gokōgū, interwoven with people, cats, and all living beings.
「五香宮の猫」
Running time: 119 minutes
Language: Japanese with English subtitles
Trailer: https://www.kazuhirosoda.com/cats
Free Entry
Wednesday 1 July at 6.30pm
Philip Carter Family Auditorium
Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū
Gokōgū is a small, ancient Shintō shrine in Ushimado, Japan, on the Seto Inland Sea. Home to dozens of street cats, it is also known as the “Cat Shrine.”
Many people visit the shrine for various reasons: some to worship gods, others to enjoy gardening. Some people come to clean the shrine as volunteers while others just stop by on their way to fish Japanese sardinella – and it is the perfect place for kids to play after school. In addition, some people visit Gokōgū to feed the freely roaming stray cats. Others just come to see these cats or to take pictures of them.
It is a heaven for cat-loving residents and visitors, but some residents complain about the waste the cats leave around the neighborhood. Gokōgū looks peaceful on the surface, but it is also the epicenter of a sensitive issue that divides the local community.
In 2021, after living in New York City for 27 years, director Kazuhiro Soda and Kiyoko Kashiwagi relocated to Ushimado where they had previously filmed Oyster Factory (2015) and Inland Sea (2018). As new settlers, the couple tried to blend into Ushimado’s local community and thus got caught up in the problem around the cats of Gokōgū. The filmmakers started rolling their camera to observe and depict the aging, traditional community and its spiritual center Gokōgū. The result is a beautiful and cruel, simple yet complex portrayal of the universe of Gokōgū, interwoven with people, cats, and all living beings.
「五香宮の猫」
Running time: 119 minutes
Language: Japanese with English subtitles
Trailer: https://www.kazuhirosoda.com/cats
Free Entry
Wednesday 1 July at 6.30pm
Philip Carter Family Auditorium
Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū
Advertisement
Where is it happening?
Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, 312 Montreal St, Christchurch Central, Christchurch 8013, New Zealand, Christchurch
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.
Host or PublisherChristchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū
