Japan Archives - Directors Notes

Koya Kamura Crafts a Humbling Contemplative Drama About Grief in His Fukushima-Set Debut ‘Homesick’

Koya Kamura reflects on his successful decision to make the leap from a decade in commercials into his narrative debut, a drama set in post-disaster Japan.

Live Action

Hayato Ando Foresees a Service Which Returns the Deceased for 49 Days in Near Future Sci-Fi ‘Son of Memory’

Hayato Ando breaks down how he cinematically represented digitally-recreated loved ones for his philosophical sci-fi drama 'Son of Memory'.

Animation

A Didactic Short Story Is Given an All Too Relatable Contemporary Spin in ‘Rope’ by Kyomu Yoshida

Kyomu Yoshida details why he chose to animate a caustic social commentary derived from a tale by the father of the Japanese short story in 'Rope'.

Live Action

How an Ambitious Fish Became a Girl in Thessa Meijer’s Celebrated Tragicomedy ‘The Walking Fish’

Thessa Meijer discusses overcoming language barriers for her Japan-set short about an ambitious sea-creature who becomes a woman striving for perfection.

Live Action

A Mother and Daughter Attempt to Bridge the Distance Between Them in Kana Hatakeyama’s ‘Okaasan (Mom)’

A mother & daughter attempt to reconnect after dealing with the death of a beloved family member in Kana Hatakeyama’s quietly observed short Okaasan (Mom)

Asides, Music

Kano: Pan-Fried (Feat. Kojo Funds)

Taichi Kimura takes Kano back to his roots in 'Pan-Fried', a celebration of community bonds forged in the travails of less than ideal life circumstances.

Live Action

“The Butterflies are 100% Real” – Mackenzie Sheppard Joins us to Discuss the Sequel to his Popular Short Film

Mackenzie Sheppard returns to Directors Notes to discuss 'Butterfly' - the sequel to his popular short film 'Moth'.

Asides, Live Action

Butterfly

Mackenzie Sheppard's 'Moth' sequel short 'Butterfly' follows a man who finds his reality breaking down as he investigates a mysterious building project…