The war in the South Pacific, a country doctor in Colorado, victims of industrial pollution in a Japanese village — all were captured in unforgettable photographs by the legendary W. Eugene Smith. This program showcases over 600 of Smith’s stunning photographs and includes a dramatic recreation in which actor Peter Riegert (Crossing Delancey, Local Hero) portrays the artist using dialogue take from Smith’s diaries and letters. Interwoven through the program are archival footage and interviews with family and friends of this brilliant, complicated man, whose work developed from twin themes of common humanity and social responsibility.
A recording of Asia's highly publicized concert at the Budokan in Japan. Songs performed include "Time and Time Again," "The Heat Goes On," and "Here Comes That Feeling."
Documentary about the photo session for the photobook "Castella", filmed in Portugal.
Before World War II, Ikego village was an idyllic agriculture community. The Imperial Navy took over the village and the hills to build the largest ammunition preserve in Asia. When Japan lost, these facilities were taken over by the US Navy, and are now housing for the American soldiers.
namie amuro LIVE STYLE 2011 is Amuro Namie's eleventh concert video. The video includes footage from her concert held in Tokyo. It was released in two versions: a DVD format and a Blu-ray format. The first press editions came in digipaks.
There's no definitive separation as long as there is memory'. Since the Tsunami hit the northern part of Japan's coast in 2011, more than 20 thousand people lost their lives, and many others are still missing. As time went by the families of the victims abandoned all hope and stopped looking for their loved ones. However, this is the story of two men that are still fully committed to their respective searching activities. Even though their backgrounds are extremely different, both share a strong force of will and firmly wish to keep alive the memories of the ones that went missing. Perseverance is what pushed an ex-convict to look for redemption by helping the victims' families to find the remains of their loved ones, and perseverance is what brought a bus driver to start to dive in order to search for his wife.
In 1971, author and film scholar Donald Richie published a poetic travelogue about his explorations of the islands of Japan’s Inland Sea, recording his search for traces of a traditional way of life as well as his own journey of self-discovery. Twenty years later, filmmaker Lucille Carra undertook a parallel trip inspired by Richie’s by-then-classic book, capturing images of hushed beauty and meeting people who still carried on the fading customs that Richie had observed. Interspersed with surprising detours—a visit to a Frank Sinatra-loving monk, a leper colony, an ersatz temple of plywood and plaster—and woven together by Richie’s narration as well as a score by celebrated composer Toru Takemitsu, The Inland Sea is an eye-opening voyage and a profound meditation on what it means to be a foreigner.
Recordings of two live performances by Malice Mizer edited into a complete concert experience of the visual kei band’s third studio album "merveilles", filmed while on tour during 1998 at the Nippon Budōkan Hall (April 1) and Yokohama Arena (July 22) in Japan. The live video features an onstage cathedral set piece, theatrics, costume changes, and skits performed as openings/endings to songs. The final show of the merveilles ~Shuuen to Kisuu~ tour held July 22, 1998 at Yokohama Arena (featured in the film) would be lead vocalist Gackt’s last performance with Malice Mizer before leaving the band in January of 1999 and drummer Kami’s last live show before his sudden passing on June 21, 1999.
Samurai Japan won the 2023 World Baseball Classic for the first time in 14 years, and went all the way to the final undefeated. In addition to the never-before-seen footage of the team, the film also includes interviews with Manager Hideki Kuriyama, players, coaches, and team staff. What is the truth behind the glory and the suffering of the people involved?
The first DVD release of two Okada Yukiko videos, "Okada Yukiko in Switzerland" and "Okada Yukiko Memories of Switzerland", both released in 1985, on one disc.
Japan's Tsunami: Caught on Camera
A portrait of the German electronic band "Der Plan". Büld follows the band on their tour through Japan.
Xiao Kai is a music producer who makes music for virtual idol, Rainbow. He has cold personality and loves to be alone. Music is everything to him and can’t live without it. Rainbow is a virtual idol who does not exist in reality but one day, she becomes human. She followed xiao kai to run away from public and her manager. The two gradually fall in love with each other during their escape journey, but both of them encounters difficulties. Xiao Kai is afraid if one day, Rainbow disappears because they're not from the same dimension.
A documentary that explores the life styles of various otakus in Japan. Various interviews are given to selected otakus who express how interesting it is to be an otaku as oppose to not being one at all. Along with various shots of various Japanese city landscapes and the inside of an average otaku home from rooms filled with videos, models, and the latest in technology.
Last Room
From 1937 to 1948 gold, silver, platinum and diamonds were looted by the Imperial Japanese Army during its campaigns throughout Asia-a treasure trove worth billions whose location has remained unclear until today. Rumor had it that hundreds of tones of gold were buried in the Philippines. In an exciting investigation of the 20th century history, director Egmont R. Koch embarks on the trail of Japan’s stolen gold, a journey that takes him to the Philippines, Hong Kong and Japan. He discovers documents that prove that the disappeared loot was used to finance the Cold War in Asia and to corrupt nationalist Japanese politicians.
Bianca Charamsa made her way to Japan during this year's cherry blossom season to get to grips with the country's character through conversations with some of its artists. Although two violent atomic catastrophes - the bombing of Hiroshima and the Fukushima nuclear disaster - have shaken and shaped modern-day Japan, the artist Takahiro Iwasaki believes that memory of 6th and 9th August 1945 is slowly fading, despite all the folded cranes left by visitors to the memorial sites. Natural catastrophes like sea- and earthquakes also rock Japan time and time again; perhaps this explains why the Japanese aesthetic Wabi Sabi incorporates both beauty and decay...much like the beauty of the cherry blossom as it withers during the annual festival of Hanami
Un samouraï au Vatican
Scored by Australian electronic music group The Avalanches and produced by Junk Food Dinner, SINCE I LEFT YOU is a visual essay about synchronicity, electricity, and sending signals with complicated computers.
Animated short film for Shinsei Kamattechan's song "Ruru's Suicide Show on a Livestream."