Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on December 2012

For many people, it just wouldn’t be Christmas without at least one viewing of It’s a Wonderful Life (1946; pictured), a staple on American TV every December. You can make this year’s holiday season complete by catching the Jimmy Stewart classic at The Kimono Wine Bar (1-15-28 Minami Aoyama; www.kimonowinebar.com) on December 11 from 6:30pm. The ¥1,500 entry gets you the movie, a drink, canapés and lots of yuletide cheer. E-mail lauren@kimonowinebar.com to RSVP.

Legendary actress Ingrid Bergman and acclaimed director Igmar Bergman were not related, despite both hailing from Sweden and sharing the same last name, but they were friends and long spoke of working together. Those plans finally came together with one of Ingrid’s last roles as a pianist reconnecting with her estranged daughter in Autumn Sonata (1978). Now Shibuya’s Eurospace (1-5 Maruyamacho, Shibuya-ku; www.eurospace.co.jp) is presenting a new print of the film from December 8. www.bergman.jp

Vive Le Cinéma Français! at Waseda Shochiku (1-5-16 Takadanobaba, Shinjuku-ku; www.wasedashochiku.co.jp). The second-run house is screening Crazy Horse, Fredrick Wiseman’s doc on the storied night club and Mathieu Almaric’s On Tour from December 8, followed by the dramas The Women on the Sixth Floor and Monsieur Lazhar beginning December 15.