Diary of a Shinjuku Thief

Part of the Hanabi Film Festival 2026. Limited festival passes available while supplies last.

Doors open at 8:30 PM; film at 9:00 PM.

When thief Birdey is caught stealing from a book shop by salesgirl Umeko, the two embark on an unusual, erotic adventure.

Directed by Japanese New Wave legend Nagisa Ōshima (Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence) and co-written by close collaborator Mamoru Sasaki (Death by Hanging), the film sharply divided critics on its release and continues to perplex audiences today. The New York Times said the film had “an air of having been produced only for purposes of demonstration,” while the Guardian praised it as “an explosive agitprop movie equating sexual liberation with revolution.”

Switching between color and black and white, coherent plot and pure vibes, Ōshima pushed the boundaries of the 1960s experimental, left-wing movement. Commonly referred to as “the Japanese Godard,” Ōshima said he preferred that Jean-Luc Godard be called “the French Ōshima.”

Screened in Japanese with English subtitles.