Discover Beauty Program

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  People of Prayer

  Miyuki Matsuda and Taichi Saotome
  Japan / 29:00 / Dance Movie / 2021

  In ancient Japan, dolls were made as a token for people to bring happiness. The etymology of "inori" comes from “i” for breathing, and "nori" for life. In other words, prayer is about breathing and living. Breath that pumps the heart, to breathe, to struggle with oneself, and to proclaim your conduct to heaven. Beautiful dolls materialize from the repugnant side of human beings. This doll is both a symbol of God and of one's wishes. Dolls dance fervently in the beauty of nature in the four seasons, and through the life of flowers in the breeze, the life in water, the life in fire, and in payer, expresses the ancient Japanese people who dedicate themselves to traditional festivals.

  

  Debuted in 1979 in the film "The Adventures of Kōsuke Kindaichi " directed by Nobuhiko Ōbayashi. She has appeared in TV drama "The Detective Story" (NTV - 1979), & "From the Northern Countr" (cx - 1981) among her work in film & TV. Her performance was highly praised in director Naomi kawase's "Still the Water," an official competitono selection at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival. After working 4 years as art director, she published a book on the lifework of her actor husband, "The Complete Works of Yusaku Matsuda." She served as eidtor for the free paper "R" for 5 years. As photographer, she published a photo book titled "My Favorite Solitude Travels" & was the director of the gravure page for the magazine "GENROQ" for seven years. Recently as director, she filmed "Inorijin" (2021/ worldwide Vimeo release) starring Taichi Saotome. She has also recently started performing as a singer & live readings.

  

  Born on September 24, 1991, Fukuoka Prefecture.
  Taichi has performed throughout Japan since he was 4-yrs-old as the second generation of the popular “light theater” troupe Gekidan Suzaku.
  In 2003, he appeared in Takeshi Kitano's film Zatoichi and became known as a "1 in a 100 years" genius “onnagata” actor playing roles of women.
  In 2019, as the 2nd head of the Gekidan Suzaku Troupe, held a revival performance. He produces, writes, choreographs, and directs for the stage. He remains busy producing and in December last year, he performed a “buyō geki” (traditional Japanese dance) at Nijō Castle, a World Heritage Site, at artKYOTO 2020. He is expanding his work under the banner, “Taichi Saotome Produce” and produced “Inorijin” for the Agency for Cultural Affairs. This year, the movie "The Blood of the Wolves II" will be released on August 20.

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  Wheels of Fate: The Story of the Rickshaw Man

  Ema Ryan Yamazaki
  USA Japan / 19:00 / Documentary / 2020

  An emotional journey into the fateful history of The Rickshaw Man, which despite being chopped down by two governments, remains an irreplaceable work of humanist cinema from Japan's darkest period. Narrated by Lily Franky

  

  Raised in Osaka, Japan, by a Japanese mother and British father, Ema grew up navigating between Japanese and Western cultures.
  After graduating from New York University, she became the assistant to documentary mogul Sam Pollard. As an editor, her work has been shown on outlets such as HBO, PBS, CNN, and numerous festivals around the world. She also has directed TV documentaries for NHK and Al Jazeera English.
  In 2017, Ema’s first feature documentary, MONKEY BUSINESS: THE ADVENTURES OF CURIOUS GEORGE’S CREATORS was released worldwide by The Orchard, after raising over $186,000 on Kickstarter. It premiered at the LA Film Festival and won the Audience Award at the Nantucket Film Festival.
  In 2019, Ema’s second feature documentary about the phenomenon of high school baseball in Japan, KOSHIEN: JAPAN’S FIELD OF DREAMS, premiered at DOC NYC. In 2020, the film aired on ESPN, and was released theatrically in Japan.
  Ema edits her own work, and uses her unique storytelling perspective as an insider and outsider in Japan and in the US. She currently splits her base between Tokyo and New York.

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  The Fox of Shichigorosawa

  Tune SUGIHARA
  Japan / 13:45 / Animation / 2014

  Higashiyama, the home of the foxes, has become an illegal dumping ground. This results in the decrease of small animals, which the mother fox relied on as prey to feed her children. The fox comes down from the mountains in search of food to feed her children, and comes upon a human village.

  This story is told in the Ainu language, which has been deemed a critically endangered language by UNESCO.

  

  Tune SUGIHARA was born in Yokosuka, Japan in 1973. She is an award winning short filmmaker, animation director, scriptwriter and audio guide commentator for Kabuki theatre.
  She studied graphic design in High School, and Media Art in college. She then went on to become a CG designer in 1994. After working for Asia-Pacific Cultural Centre for UNESCO (ACCU) as a program officer for the cultural exchange programme, Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) for five years, she went back to the video production industry. Today, she is part of programs about Japanese Folktales, as a director and writer.

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  The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossoms

  Lucy Walker
  USA / 39:00 / Documentary / 2011

  Survivors in the areas hardest hit by Japan's recent tsunami find the courage to revive and rebuild as cherry blossom season begins. This Academy Award-nominated short documentary explores the aftermath of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in Japan, and the cultural significance of Japan's famous sakura, or cherry blossoms.

  

  Lucy Walker is an Emmy winning, two-time Oscar-nominated director renowned for creating riveting, character-driven nonfiction that delivers emotionally and narratively. Recognition includes nomination for seven Emmy (winning one), an Independent Spirit Award, a DGA Award, a PGA Award, and a Gotham Award. The Hollywood Reporter has called her “the new Errol Morris” and Variety has praised her unique ability to connect with audiences.