Makoto Shinkai Double Feature at JFLA

Japan Foundation Los Angeles provides Japanese film screenings every second and fourth Wednesday at 7 p.m. at JFLA Auditorium, 5700 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 100, in Los Angeles.

This week’s offering on Jan. 11 is a double feature of short animation by Makoto Shinkai (“Your Name”):

* “5 Centimeters Per Second” (63 minutes, 2007) at 7 p.m.

© Makoto Shinkai/CoMix Wave Films

Takaki and Akari became best friends after transferring into the same elementary school. However, the two are separated following their elementary school graduation. As they put their feelings for each other behind them, time simply passed by. Then one snowy day, Takaki is about to be reunited with Akari. As he sits on the train from Tokyo, memories of the past rush through Takaki’s head, his meeting time with Akari drawing ever closer. Join Takaki on a journey into three interconnected tales of love and lost innocence that span the minutes and months of their lives.

* The Garden of Words (46 minutes, 2013) at 8:15 p.m.

© Makoto Shinkai/CoMix Wave Films

When Takao, a high school student dreaming of becoming a shoemaker, skips school one day in favor of sketching shoes in a rainy garden, he has no idea how much his life will change when he encounters the mysterious Yukino. Older, but perhaps not much wiser, she seems adrift in the world. The two strike up an unusual relationship through chance meetings in the same garden on each rainy day. But the rainy season is coming to a close, leaving many things left unshared between them.

Both films are in Japanese with Engish subtitles. Free to attend. Reservation is not required. For info and trailers: http://jflalc.org/japanema-schedule.html#Shinkai

Street parking is available: www.jflalc.org/about-us.html#parking