THE WITCHES OF THE ORIENT

THE WITCHES OF THE ORIENT
September 24 – 30, 2021
How did a group of humble factory workers become a phenomenal sports success story and the pride of an entire nation? Julian Faraut’s (John McEnroe: In The Realm of Perfection) ferociously innovative and visually stunning The Witches of the Orient tells the tale of the Japanese women’s volleyball team’s thrilling rise, unbelievable 258 games winning streak, and eventual Olympic gold at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. United by their jobs in a textile factory, the Japanese women’s volleyball team chased absolute perfection under the guidance of their grueling coach Hirofumi Daimatsu. His methods were so tough that in Japan, he was known as “the Demon,” with his intense, endless practice sessions, shaping the team into a force to be reckoned with. While the west viewed Japan as an alien upstart in the postwar years, it didn’t prevent the team from striking fear in the hearts of their competitors, earning them the racist and dismissive moniker “oriental witches.”
Dir: Julien Faraut / 2021 / Japanese with English subtitles / 100 min

“If the team was derided by their prejudiced (and defeated) foes in the moment of their success, this documentary elegantly restores the glow of legend, saving the champions the trouble of having to explain their heroism in words.” – Teo Bugbee, New York Times

“By pairing real-life events with their animated interpretations, the film not only offers a fresh approach to documentary style but also draws out the tension between reality and artifice, private and public memory.” – Phuong Le, Guardian

“Fusing exquisitely shot color 16mm footage from 1964 of the team’s training sessions, drone-like music and splices of animation, we get a delirious sense of what these committed women endured six out of seven days a week.” – Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times

SCREENING: FRI 9/24 4PM; SAT 9/25 7PM; SUN 9/26 4PM; THU 9/30 4PM
Tickets available at the box office 1/2 hour before showtimes.

Upon entry, all patrons will be asked to show proof of full vaccination (card or photo/screenshot of card) with matching ID before entry. Fully vaccinated means two weeks after your second dose. No exceptions. OFS is not accepting proof of negative testing at this time.

Patrons must wear masks at all times. A Thurston County directive effective Friday August 13, 2021, requires mask-wearing while indoors.

For more information, please see our operations announcement.