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You’re invited to join us for a special evening of film, conversation, and community as part of the Dr. Eric Jackman Institute of Child Study (JICS) Centennial celebrations.

Our next edition of JICS at the Movies presents a screening of the acclaimed documentary The Making of a Japanese, followed by an in-depth Q&A with the filmmaker.

Monday, March 2nd, 2026
🕡 6:30 – 8:45 p.m.
📍 Innis College Theatre
2 Sussex Avenue, Toronto, ON M5S 1J5

🎥 About the Film
The Making of a Japanese is a warm, intimate documentary that takes viewers inside a Tokyo public elementary school to explore how early childhood education shapes culture, values, and community in Japan. Filmed over the course of a year, the film follows first- and sixth-grade students as they learn responsibility, cooperation, and respect alongside their academic studies.

Directed by Academy Award®–nominated documentary filmmaker Ema Ryan Yamazaki, the film offers a moving portrait of childhood and the everyday school rituals that reveal larger truths about belonging and identity. Praised by The New York Times as a “nuanced portrait that tries to explain why Japan is the way it is — a highly structured society built from the elementary level,” the film invites reflection long after the credits roll.

OISE & UofT Students – $10
General Admission – $25

All proceeds support the JICS Endowment Fund for economic diversity, helping ensure greater access to a research-informed, inclusive education.

Event Schedule:
🍿 Centennial Screening
6:30 – 8:15 p.m.
Language: Japanese with English subtitles | Runtime: 99 minutes | Suitable for students in Grade 5 and above

Presented in partnership with the 91ֱ��, the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy and Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre.

🎞️ Exclusive Q&A
8:15 – 8:45 p.m.
The night doesn't end with the credits! Stay for a rare opportunity to hear directly from Academy Award®–nominated director Ema Ryan Yamazaki in discussion with Dr. Rie Kijima, Director of the Initiative for Education Policy and Innovation at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, University of Toronto.

All proceeds from this special Centennial event support the JICS Endowment Fund, ensuring that future generations of students continue to benefit from the innovative, inclusive education and research that defines the JICS Lab School.

This JICS100 screening reflects the Lab School’s commitment to research, innovation, and the public purpose of education. The Making of a Japanese resonates with the Lab School’s work in early childhood learning by offering a thoughtful, observational look at how environments, relationships, and daily practices shape children’s experiences of belonging, responsibility, and community.

The film invites reflection on our century of educational inquiry and encourages dialogue about how global perspectives on schooling can deepen our understanding of learning and inform future research and public engagement at JICS and beyond!