This fall at Rose Hill: Films Worth Talking About, Even If Difficult presents:

All About Lily Chou-Chou, 2002, directed by Shunji Iwai

Monday, September 28, 6 pm, Rose Hill, Walsh Library Flom Auditorium (lower level)

Panelists: Associate Professor of Psychology Haruka Minami, Adjunct Professor of Visual Art, Vincent Stracquadanio, moderated by Stephan Apicella-Hitchcock, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education, Arts & Sciences

Open to all. With snacks and a raffle prize.

First up this fall is the very beautiful and challenging 2002 film by Shunji Iwai, All About Lily Chou-Chou. It’s an emotionally demanding film about 14-year-olds in Japan during the post-bubble years that understands and does not simplify the challenges of bullying and growing up, regardless of nationality. How can a movie about such tough topics look and sound so gorgeous? For kids around the world, music is often a saving grace when the anxiety of teenage life becomes too much to bear. The young adults in this film find refuge in the music of Lily Chou-Chou, a Björk-like chanteuse whose music provides respite from the harsh challenges of growing up. (A fake band, comprising Salyu and Kobayashi from Mr. Children, was created to compose the film’s music under the name “Lily Chou-Chou”).

About the 2026-2027 Film Series:

This season, Films Worth Talking About, Even If Difficult, has expanded its programming into a broader interpretive territory. “Difficult Films” is not limited to films that are emotionally challenging or politically provocative; it can also refer to visually experimental, sonically demanding, historically complex, or temporally shifting films. Ultimately, the series is a cinematic pretext for gathering, eating, and talking—a communal exercise in which we discuss, discover, and sometimes disagree—all of which are part of the experience.

The Office of the Arts & Sciences Dean invites you to step outside your regular streaming queue, experience something different, and join a community of curious film lovers throughout the year. Please bring your friends, an open mind, and have a question ready. Additionally, to sweeten the deal, we offer raffle items connected to the film. By participating, you could walk away with a special prize AND a different perspective.