Films

🇯🇵Japan・Ainu

Country: Japan (produced in 2021)
Screening time: 29'25 min
Language: Japanese
Subtitles: English
Date: 13th.2 (Thu) Indoor venue: Madarao Kogen Hotel Fuyo no Ma

『STORY OF MOTHER』

監督：橋本隆行（Takayuki Hashimoto）

Japanese title: ハポの物語 / Director Takayuki Hashimoto / Japan / Fiction / 2023 / 29'25min / Japanese / Subtitle: English

A mother’s teachings in the Ainu forest and the important ritual for survival in the harsh nature. The story of a young girl who eventually becomes a mother is spun through song and dance.
監督紹介
🇯🇵Japan

『Amiko』

監督：Yusuke Morii

Japanese title: こちらあみこ / Director Yusuke Morii / Japan / drama / 2022 / 104min / Japanese / Subtitle: English

Amiko isn't like other children. Her endless energy and curious eccentricities make her an outcast at school and get her in trouble at home. When a painful family loss disrupts her seemingly idyllic seaside life, her sense of isolation intensifies, yet it doesn't stop Amiko from inviting people into her world.

Cast: Kazuna Osawa, Arata Iura, Machiko Ono
Director/Screenplay: Yusuke Morii
Original work: Natsuko Imamura “Kochira Amiko” (Chikuma Bunko)
Planning/Producer: Takahiko Kondo
Music: Ichiko Aoba
Distribution: Ark Entertainment
(c)2022 “Kochira Amiko” Film Partners
公式サイト：https://kochira-amiko.com
監督紹介
🇯🇵Japan

Country: Japan (produced in 2024)
Screening time: 44'59
Language: Japanese
Subtitles: English
Date: 15th.2 (Sat) venue: natyura

『Since 3.12 About freedom of the press and expression 』

監督：Sugawara Kazumi

Private Yokohama Soei High School Broadcasting Club

Japanese title: Since 3.12 報道・表現の自由 / Japan / documentary / 2024 / 44'59 / Japanese / Subtitle: English

I have almost no memories of the Great East Japan Earthquake. That's why I believe there is a documentary about the earthquake that only a high school student like me could make. Through this work, I hope many people will think about what the purpose of reporting is.
監督紹介
🇯🇵Japan

Country: Japan (produced in 2024)
Screening time: 7.57 min
Language: Japanese
Subtitles: English
Date: 14th.2 (Fri) venue: Snow theater

『There’s no time like now, so I make a quick move.』

監督：Kouu Kaku

Nagano Prefecture Matsumoto Misugaoka High School Film Volunteer Group

Japanese title: 思い立ったが吉日 / Japan / drama / 2024 / 7.57 min / Japanese / Subtitle: English

Club activities are all about friendship, but sometimes there are unexpected things. How should we react to that?
監督紹介
🇯🇵Japan

Country: Japan (produced in 2023)
Screening time: 85 min
Language: Japanese
Subtitles: English
Date: 15th.2 (Sat) venue: Iiyama Cultural Hall Naturar
Producer Sanae Kawai scheduled to attend Talk session Q&A included

『RIPPLES of PHYSIS』

監督：Ayako Mogi

Japanese title: フィシスの波文 / Director Ayako Mogi / Producer Sanae Kawai / Japan / documentary / 2023 / 85min / Japanese / Subtitle: English

A journey led by patterns, far and deep.Starting from the karakami patterns handed down for 400 years in Kyoto, Japan,going around the world pursuing physis (nature as it is), which has been transformed into patterns since the Paleolithic period. Transcending time and space, you will see in between...Karacho is a traditional workshop in Kyoto. For 400 years, products and art called karakami, which are handprinted patterns on Japanese paper, have been handed down. This film begins from a scene of this workshop. Since the Edo period (17th-19th century), Karacho has inherited wooden painting blocks, on which patterns with motifs of plants, clouds, swirls and ripples are carved. The film shows the work performed in the workshop: earth- and mineral-derived paint and mica are placed on the painting block to make patterns printed on washi paper. The karakami produced by repetition is breathtakingly beautiful; itself a form of nature, with movements, rhythms and coloring that emerge. The camera carefully captures the patterns, forms of nature, and the atmosphere. Patterns have lived on in many places, like the Aoi Matsuri and Gion Matsuri festivals in Kyoto, temples, shrines, and tea ceremony spaces. Also, they are found in the line engravings on rocks in Italy from about 10,000 years ago, and in mosaics adorning ancient Roman cathedrals, as well as in the culture passed down among the Ainu people in Hokkaido, Japan. As if guided by patterns, places are connected across time and space, becoming a journey. The film includes interviews with notable figures: an artistic director of Hermès, Akira Minagawa, designer of minä perhonen, and Hiroshi Tomura, a contemporary artist. They speak about their inspiration from nature and their own creations. The secret Ainu rituals and prayers to deities in the mountains show the relationships among people, nature and patterns. A record of the journey through patterns, expanding from a small workshop in Kyoto to multiple layers around the world, will remind us again of the important senses that we have forgotten and the connection to the archaic layer of all humanity.
監督紹介
🇯🇵Japan

Country: Japan (produced in 2024)
Screening time: 12.521 min
Language: Japanese
Subtitles: English
Date: 14th.2 (Fri) venue: Snow theater

『WHICH』

監督：Kiri Nakazima

Ishikawa Prefectural Izumigaoka High School Film Research Club/Chaos Anarchy

Japanese title: WHICH / Japan / animation / 2024 / 12'21min / Japanese / Subtitle: English

One day, a strange guy appeared in town? ! Apparently he thinks he's an alien. The people of the town made fun of him because he was a human being no matter how he looked. But is he really human? What do you think...I really want to make a movie, but I don't look good and I don't have any acting skills. So we started making stop-motion movies. The three of us did everything from the script to filming and editing. WHICH is the first movie for all three of us.
監督紹介
🇯🇵Japan

Country: Japan (produced in 2024)
Screening time: 7.28 min
Language: Japanese
Subtitles: English
Date: 14th.2 (Fri) venue: Snow theater

『The forester』

監督：Manaka Iizima

Saitama Prefectural Ogawa High School Glocal Media Research Club

Japanese title: やまもり / Japan / documentary / 2024 / 7'28 / Japanese / Subtitle: English

We covered the self-cutting forestry industry in Ogawa Town, Saitama Prefecture. I created this book with the hope that it would give some hints about Mr. Toguchi's thoughts on regenerating degraded mountain forests and the future of forestry.
監督紹介
🇯🇵Japan

37 minute uncut full version screening">
Country: Japan (produced in 2024)
Screening time: 37 min
Language: Japanese
Subtitles: English
Date: 15th.2 (Sat) venue: Snow theater 19:30～20:10
Producer Yuriko Taniguchi will be present and there will be Q&A time after the movie screening.
※The scheduled time may change slightly depending on weather conditions. Thank you for your understanding. Please take appropriate measures to protect yourself from the cold when you visit.

『Like bamboo, like bamboo shoot』37 minute uncut full version screening

監督：Shinya Kawakami

Japanese title: 竹とタケノコ / Japan / drama / 2024 / 37min / Japanese / Subtitle: English

A story of a father and son over the Tezutsu fireworks, which are believed to have originated in Toyohashi. Akira's son Yuto, who is obsessed with handheld fireworks, is handicapped in communicating with others, but has a talent for drawing pictures. However, Akira shows no interest in Yuto's drawings. One day, Akira falls ill and is told he has little time left to live after a check-up at the hospital.

February 15th Snow Theater around 19:00 Screening of 37 minutes uncut version!
Producer Yuriko Taniguchi is here! Q&A time scheduled after the movie screening
【From the film festival office】
Movies are a way to express feelings. In addition to becoming a director and making movies myself, I sometimes start making movies in the position of a ``producer.'' There are times when you can complete a movie by connecting people and things that you can shoot yourself and do without editing. This movie is about Yuriko Taniguchi who meets the people of Toyohashi and says, ``Let's make a movie with these people and this place!'' I worked hard with this passion, and it took shape. Fierce fireworks are set off on a snowy screen to connect the feelings of parents and children. Please come and see it. We have warm drinks ready for you.

We are planning to have hot drinks made over a bonfire at the Snow Theater during the screening.
【menu】
１．Sweet and sour warm Swedish hot berry juice
２．Finnish coffee is made in the forest by putting beans in a kettle and setting it on a bonfire.

※The screening will be held outdoors in a snowy mountain, so it will be held close to nature. We would like to implement this event with the safety of our audience and staff as our top priority. Screening times and drink schedules may change depending on weather conditions. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Movie “Like bamboo, like bamboo shoot” Official HP
NEWS:“Like bamboo, like bamboo shoot” Grand Prix Winner! @Okinawa NICE Film Festival 3-February 2025　
監督紹介
🇯🇵Japan・Ainu

Country: Japan (produced in 2023)
Screening time: 6 min
Language: Japanese
Subtitles: English
Date: 13th.2 (Thu) Indoor venue: Madarao Kogen Hotel Fuyo no Ma

『Mokor Itak』

監督：Yoshihiro Nishimura

Japanese title: モコﾛイタｸ / Director nincup・Yoshihiro Nishimura / Japan / music / 2023 / 6min / Japanese / Subtitle: English

Music video for "Mokor Itak", an Ainu language rap song.This song is included in ``nincup'''s album ``Tup''.``Nincup'' features traditional Ainu songs and dances, Yukara, the world's five great epic poems, and original songs in the Ainu language.Their musical style is a live performance that unfolds like a story about the forest and the city, their longing for a new world, and their inner conflicts, along with the sound of the [gitamba], which is a combination of guitar and bass."Nincup" means the thinning moon before the new moon in Ainu language.The evening feast before departing for a new world.
監督紹介