Curl up for two hours and step into the daily life of Hirayama, a Tokyo public-toilet cleaner whose routine becomes a meditation on attention, solitude, and meaning. Nominated for Best International Feature at the 2024 Academy Awards, Perfect Days (2023) invites viewers into a carefully observed world shaped by work, habit, and quiet discipline. Along the way, we see Hirayama’s devotion to photography, literature, and music, as well as the subtle human connections that emerge in the margins of his days.
Join NCTA seminar leader Tese Wintz Neighbor for a guided discussion of the film, which follows Hirayama over three weeks as he wakes early, drives his aging van through the city, tends to small tasks, and notices light, shadow, and change. Through his steady gaze, Perfect Days explores what it means to live deliberately and to find dignity in ordinary labor.
Dates and Times
Participants will be assigned to one of the following sessions, with the possibility of switching if needed:
Group 1: Monday, March 16, 4:00–6:00 PM (Pacific Time)
Group 2: Wednesday, March 18, 4:00–6:00 PM (Pacific Time)
Program Requirements
This movie club will be held on Zoom. Participants are expected to watch the film in advance, complete a short assignment, and take part in a two-hour discussion with their video camera on.
The film is available to stream for free via Kanopy. You will need to create an account using your public library card. If you are unable to access Kanopy, the film is also available to rent on platforms such as Hulu, Apple TV, Prime Video, and others.
Program benefits
- Online Resource packet
- Four free Washington State OSPI clock hours
Registration
This program is free and open to K-12 educators of all grades and subjects. Please complete this form to register. Space is limited to 20 participants per session.
This program is sponsored by the East Asia Resource Center at the University of Washington, and funded by a Freeman Foundation grant in support of the National Consortium for Teaching about Asia (NCTA).
Image credit: Perfect Days (2023), directed by Wim Wenders. Courtesy of the film’s promotional materials. Used under fair use for educational purposes.