“Japanese Kujawiak” at EXPO 2025 in Osaka
On 28 August 2025, the Polish Pavilion at Expo 2025 in Osaka will host a preview screening of a shortened version of the film “Japanese Kujawiak’, directed by Dagmara Furgał. It is a story about the meeting of two cultures and the power of art to transform lives. The Adam Mickiewicz Institute is a co-producer of the film.
A story of love, dance, and the meeting of cultures – what is the film about?
“Japanese Kujawiak” follows Mr Oka and his wife, who first met in the early 1980s during a Polish kujawiak dance course in Tomonoura, Hiroshima Prefecture. For four decades, they have run a school of Polish folk dances and a private museum of Polish folklore. Twice a year, dancers from the Mazowsze and Śląsk ensembles travel to Japan to train new groups of course participants.
The film makes extensive use of archival material – for 40 years the Okas documented every encounter with the dancers on VHS tapes, including a visit to Poland in the 1980s, where they were married in traditional Polish style at the Łowicz open-air museum. It is a story about the meeting of distant worlds and the mutual inspirations arising from Polish–Japanese dialogue. “Japanese Kujawiak” is also a film about love, friendship, closeness, and overcoming barriers – both physical and emotional – as well as a quiet rebellion against ageing and the passage of time.
Polish Folk Dances in Japan – A Meeting with the Creators and Audience at Expo 2025 in Osaka
The screenings will take place in the workshop area next to the Polish Pavilion at Expo 2025 in Osaka. Three public screenings are scheduled for 11:00 am, 1:30 pm, and 8:00 pm. The events form part of Fryderyk Chopin Week, organised by the Fryderyk Chopin Institute. The screenings will be accompanied by performances of Polish folk dances by Japanese dancers, as well as a meeting with the filmmakers, including a Q&A session.
“Japanese Kujawiak” – Preview Screenings of a Shortened Version of the Film at Expo 2025 in Osaka
- Film title: Japanese Kujawiak
- Director: Dagmara Furgał
- Date: 28 August 2025
- Venue: Polish Pavilion, Expo 2025, Osaka, Japan
- Location: Workshop area at the Polish Pavilion
- Showtimes: 11:00 am, 1:30 pm, 8:00 pm
- Admission: Open to the public
