Shunji Iwai's LOVE LETTER (1995) - L.A. premiere of brand-new 4K restoration
We are excited to present the L.A. restoration premiere of Iwai's debut feature, a paean to the heyday of 1990s arthouse cinema.
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Jul 03, 2026, 8:00 PM
2220 Arts + Archives, 2220 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90057, USA
LOVE LETTER
directed by Shunji Iwai
1995, Japan, 117m, DCP
L.A. premiere of a brand-new 4K restoration
Friday, July 3
2220 Arts + Archives
2220 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90057
doors/bar 7:30pm
film 8:00pm
The debut feature from the great Japanese filmmaker Shunji Iwai (ALL ABOUT LILY CHOU-CHOU) is a ‘90s romantic drama par excellence, featuring real-life J-pop idol Miho Nakayama in a dual role. Set among the picturesque, snowy vistas of Hokkaidō, the film follows Hiroko (Nakayama), a young widow whose fiancé Itsuki died tragically two years ago. On a whim, she sends a letter to his childhood address, and is surprised to receive a response from a female Itsuki (Nakayama), who just so happens to be her fiancé’s former classmate. Their continued exchanges stir up childhood memories and revelations, as the two women deepen their relationship and come to terms with adulthood. Shot by Iwai’s longtime cinematographer Noboru Shinoda, the film’s sumptuous widescreen photography and warm sentimentality is a paean to the heyday of 1990s arthouse cinema.
A Film Movement release. Special thanks to Erin Farrell (Film Movement).
“Iwai tapped into the dreams and lives of Japan’s youth with his lyrical meditations on the hardships of young adulthood, capturing pivotal and unforgettable moments of life. Balancing popular entertainment with arthouse predilection, Iwai’s exhilarating takes on the youth film provided a much-needed voice for the younger generation, offering delicate portraits of adolescence, ripe with poetic yearnings of grief, friendship and young love. Iwai’s sumptuous visual style coupled with his affecting and underground appeal opened a world of new possibilities in the ’90s cinescape—marking him as one of the most accomplished and unique filmmakers of his generation.” -Japan Society
“This yearning quality is this tremendously moving film’s greatest strength, a humanity that makes LOVE LETTER resonate decades later.” -The Brooklyn Rail