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Where temperatures fall so low that even the trees can freeze and explode, the flora and fauna of a certain forest in Japan's northernmost island of Hokkaido have evolved clever and curious ways to survive the cold. Squirrels rely not just on memory but also on an enhanced sense of smell to locate their stashes of nuts under the snow. A particular species of woodpecker carves a deep, roomy hole in a dense white pine for a nest, feasting on the ants it somehow knows are inside. And a coniferous tree native only to this region has devised an ingenious way of self-defense. The question is not how cold is cold, but how to exist in spite of it all.

A Sony a7IV cinematic exploring the diverse streets of Japan. From rainy, neon lit Tokyo streets at night, to cycling with Mount Fuji on the horizon. This short film was shot with the Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 in 4K with SLOG3 and some post video stabilization.

A documentary about love letters from the time of the second world war.

A teenage girl from New York visits her Japanese grandfather who takes her on a journey to some of Japan’s most famous Shinto shrines. During their travels, Grandfather tells the story of Minakata Kumagusu, a naturalist of early 20th century Japan. “Whenever Kumagusu took walks in the forest, he would take a compact microscope along with him so he could observe the slime molds. They’re like tiny gods that can’t be seen with the naked eye, but these microorganisms work to connect the worlds of plants and animals. Kumagusu ventured deep into the sacred groves of Japan’s old shrines in search of these tiny gods – the slime molds which formed an important part of the ecosystem.” Grandfather takes us on a journey deep into the sacred groves of Japan’s old shrines.

Noriaki Tsuchimoto, a documentary filmmaker known for his series films on Minamata disease, travelled to Afghanistan in 1988 for the production of the film "Afghan Spiring", during which he developed alcoholism. In 1996, after several years of hospitalization and treatment, he accepted a long interview with his close friends, cameraman Koshiro Otsu and producer Tetsujiro Yamagami.

This documentary introduces outsiders to the scenic wonders and peoples of the far-off country. But the film also had a charitable purpose. Although reusing footage from Beautiful Japan—most noticeably the scenes with the Ainu of Hokkaido—it also interjects new material more central to the sponsor, about the role of women in Japan and their special needs. The film is incomplete and it is unclear how much of the film is missing.

In Kitakyushu, ex-yakuza Nakamoto and fellow former inmates learn how to make udon noodles and wait on customers in order to open an udon shop.

Following several years of absence marked by tragic events, Yukie returns to her grandmother’s house in Japan. With Fuku Nashi, the Swiss-Japanese filmmaker Julie Sando offers a moving encounter between two lonely souls, in an intimate account built around identity and reconciliation, somewhere between documentary and autofiction.

Kenji Onishi short film time-lapse projection at YIDFF 2013 (Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival).

Mini-documentary covering the making of Record of Lodoss War (1990).

Super 8 film of Ally Mobb's 30th birthday party Sept. 28th, 2014. Shot on a single 50ft roll of Kodak 100D reversal film. Edited in camera. Song "Littlestar" by Ally Mobbs.

A three-part documentary interviewing 95 members of the cast and crew of the Heisei Gamera Trilogy

In the man-made waterways of rice paddies, the water in nature must follow artificial rules. In that way, nature is made abstract, giving rise to a new form of beauty distinct from the natural state. The theme of this work is the liveliness of water as it follows the man-made course.

With an 8mm camera on-hand, the filmmaker travels around mainland Southeast Asia, off the tourist beaten path, without concrete plans. In the process, she makes unexpected friends, and her camera reveals how her journey is the very destination of her documentary.

“The AKB that I used to know, that fought to the end, that shined with limitless light – I wanted to see it once again.” “The group we must defeat now isn’t AKB, but Nogizaka!” “This is clearly just a fantasy… but hopefully everyone will come to recognize us again.”

Ode I is a document of the filmmaker's two female friends over four years. Their S&M show's violent scenes are another world and a strong contrast to their everyday life with their cats, in their peaceful garden, and walking among the trees.

Behind the scenes documentary on Kiyoshi Kurosawa's "Before We Vanish"

Set in Chikuho amid the closing of the region’s coal-mining industry, this film recounts the histories of miners and their families in a narrative that unfolds in a mixture of fact and fiction.

Uncovering Japan's hidden poverty, The Ones Left Behind: The Plight of Single Mothers in Japan gives a voice to the people who need their voices heard the most, the everyday, hardworking, single mothers of Japan.

A documentary depicting the lives of the people of the Benposta Children's Republic, a community in the suburbs of Orense, Spain, where they study, work and live at the same time.

Commissioned for S-AIR’s 2020 residency programme, Letter from Sapporo (2021) is a collage film offering a glimpse of daily life in the Japanese city of Sapporo. The film is the product of approximately 16 participants capturing material with their smartphones. Focusing on moments of stillness, intimacy, labour and humour, disparate material is wedded into a compelling and coherent whole by Quaintance’s subtle editing, original music and vivid sound design.

The man closed the Cinema 55 years ago. Even so, people are coming. The man also put a fire on the projector today. “I will never let it go!”

For 28 years, the people of Iwaishima Island, living in the middle of the bountiful Inland Sea, have been opposing a plan to build a nuclear power plant. The island has a 1000 - year history during which people have preserved their traditional festival. Takashi, the youngest on the island , is struggling to earn his living. He dreams of a life based on sustainable energy. Meanwhile, communities in Sweden are making an effort to implement such lives. The people living in the Arctic circle have taken action to overcome damage from the global economy. On Iwaishima, Mr. Ujimoto has begun sustainable agriculture by reclaiming aban-doned farmlands. But a power company tries to fill in a bay to create man-made land. The people of the island set sail together to stop the construction of the nuclear power plant. A fight breaks out on the sea.

Eldest daughter Nao is disabled but has a naturally sunny disposition, her gentle mother works hard, her father loves golf and drinking, and her little brother is great at sports. The camera carefully continues to record the daily lives of this family going about their business with laughter and tears, the same-old conversations, and familiar-looking living room and kitchen.

The seven members of Kis-My-Ft2 reflect on each milestone of their debut era. From the announcement, to preparation, & every significant performance since, they discuss what each of these new "firsts" feel like.

A televised special to commemorate the theatrical release of Gokaiger Goseiger Super Sentai 199 Hero Great Battle, commeorating the 35th anniversary of the Super Sentai franchise.

A documentary on the turbulent life and final years of Rui Itō (伊藤ルイ), the fourth daughter of the thinker Noe Itō (伊藤野枝)—who was murdered alongside Sakae Ōsugi (大杉栄) by the military police—and herself a civic activist. Beginning at age 54, Rui devoted herself to grassroots human rights movements. When diagnosed with cancer shortly before turning 74, she refused life-prolonging treatment and chose to die a natural death.

This animation records the moment three women’s voices reached me—their childhood selves, longing for their mothers, unhealed wounds, and the search for belonging. They want to grow up but cannot. Through their own words, I convey your voice.

Akihiro Oishi and Hiroki Suzuki set off to climb Mount Hunter, in Alaska, the most difficult 4000-metre high mountain in North America. They have been climbing companions since 2015, when Kei Taniguchi, Akihiro’s mentor and Hiroki’s climbing companion, died during an expedition at the age of just 43.

This is the first work that marks the construction record of the Kasumigaseki Building, Japan's first skyscraper building. We will introduce the construction plans for the Kasumigaseki Building and safety measures for skyscrapers.

Short Film from Himeda Tadayoshi.

Extensive Look into the game Cosmology of Kyoto

The Shiretoko National Park, on the northern tip of the Japanese peninsular, is a little-known paradise for wild animals and birds. Deservedly designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the park’s stunning biodiversity relies on the delicate balance of the changing seasons, and the drifting pack ice that descends in winter. Hundreds of brown bears roam through the park in autumn, gathering on the riverbanks to catch migrating salmon. Winter brings freezing temperatures and the return of Stellar Sea Eagles from Russia, who dive between the few remaining gaps of the pack ice to catch fish, as deceptively angelic sea snails hunt their prey. When the ice melts in spring, herring feed on the blooming plankton, enticing shearwater seabirds from Australia, fin whales, and orcas. With climate change altering the natural habitat of these creatures, what will become of Japan’s biodiversity hotspot?

Micronesia transitioned from Spanish, German, and Japanese colonies to American rule. The film follows survivors of the Pacific War, including conscripts from Korea, and questions the history of the modern era of invasion.

A re-examination of the case of Masumi Hayashi, sentenced to death for arsenic poisoning of 63 victims at a summer festival in 1998.

A vivid portrayal of the world of so-called “tekiya” street hawkers who make a living on the fringes of festivals, centering on the big boss of the entire Kyushu region.

Japan tackles traditional values to deal with a labour shortage, sparked by rapidly decreasing birth rates and an ageing society.

This feature-length film follows a strict production rule set by the director himself: The footage was shot “15 seconds x 31 days” every August over 15 years. Using sound to disrupt the metrical image, the viewers’ memory is served a jolt.1

A document of the Nihon Gen'yasai Sanrizuka, a two-day experimental festival held in support of the Narita Airport Struggle, in 1971.

The story of the trial and struggle of Grandma Song Sin-do who has continually campaigned for redress in the issue of the comfort women drafted into sexual slavery for Japanese troops during the war. Although she lost the trial, her statement that My soul is undefeated reveals her desire to fight independently against the scars caused by the war and historical prejudice.