TEA Museum Ends August Film Programme with A Taxi in Tokyo by Yôji Yamada
The TEA Tenerife Espacio de las Artes concludes its August film programme with A Taxi in Tokyo, directed by veteran Japanese filmmaker Yôji Yamada. Based on the French film A Trip with Madeleine, this touching road movie explores themes of memory and second chances. The film will be screened from Friday 28 to Sunday 30 at 7:00 PM in its original Japanese version with Spanish subtitles.
The plot follows Koji, a Tokyo taxi driver facing financial troubles, as he transports 85-year-old Sumire to her new nursing home. During the journey, they visit various locations steeped in Sumire’s memories, leading to shared confessions and a deepening bond between them.
Yôji Yamada, born in Osaka in 1931, is one of Japan’s most illustrious contemporary directors. Renowned for his ability to depict the everyday lives of ordinary people, he began his career at Shochiku Studios. Over six decades, Yamada directed nearly a hundred films, becoming a cultural icon, particularly for the beloved Tora-san series.
His international acclaim peaked with the Samurai Trilogy, consisting of The Twilight Samurai (2002), The Hidden Blade (2004), and Love and Honor (2006). Yamada’s more recent work includes A Family from Tokyo (2013), a heartfelt tribute to Yasujirô Ozu’s classic Tokyo Story, which won the Golden Spike at the Valladolid International Film Festival. Now past ninety, Yamada remains active, chronicling the emotions and memories of modern Japan with a blend of nostalgia, humour, and empathy.
