Directed by Josef Kubota Wladyka
An acclaimed comedy.
Haru and Luis love competing in Tokyo’s ballroom dance scene, but after tragedy strikes, Haru withdraws into isolation. When friends coax her back to the studio, she develops an infatuation with the new instructor. She must face what comes next as sparks fly.
Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty! is showing in 1 cinema in Los Angeles — next screening Wednesday 23 September at 18:50 at AMC Rolling Hills 20.
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Well meaning and good fun and all that. But I thought this an extremely obvious portrayal of the grieving process that uses only the most blatant cues to tell us how the protagonist is feeling. Just nothing at all to consider that is not in front of your face. Very little that is actually insightful. Supporting characters extremely shallow. Kikuchi was great though. Kinda feels manufactured to win the Sundance audience award.
HA-CHAN, SHAKE YOUR BOOTY! is a vibrant, tonally erratic, emotionally rich celebration of dance and its resilient power in the face of grief, led by an impressively complex lead performance from Rinko Kikuchi. Director Josef Kubota Wladyka instills the film with personal meaning, crafting a visually bold tribute to his mother. Kinetic choreography, whimsical imagery, and a perfectly curated soundtrack transforms what could’ve been a bleak outlook on loss into something more exciting and life-affirming.
When I die put me in a giant bird suit and launch me into the air like a firework please
The film follows a Tokyo ballroom dancer who struggles to return to the dance floor after a tragic loss until she meets an intriguing new instructor.
It was directed by Josef Kubota Wladyka, a filmmaker known for his work in independent cinema and his Sundance 2026 premiere.
While not a traditional musical, the film relies heavily on vibrant dance sequences and an iconic soundtrack to drive its narrative of renewal and grief.
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