Film-screening Workshop

Visualizing "Japan"

Investigation of Epistemology and Methodology
based on Dialogues with Filmmakers



Date :
Place :
May 16th and 17th
Kyoto University, Faculty of Letters 2F, Lecture Room No. 6.
Host :
Kyoto University GCOE program "Reconstruction of the Intimate and Public Sphere in 21st Century Asia" The Project on the Visual Image and the Intimate/Public Sphere (http://www.gcoe-intimacy.jp/)+
Coordinators :
Itsushi Kawase (Research Fellow, ASAFAS Kyoto University)
An van Dienderen (Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Royal Academy for the Arts, University College Ghent)

This film-screening workshop will present several documentary films and film projects on "Japan". It will argue the epistemology and methodology of visualization of Japanese cultute/society based on intimate dialogues between filmmakers and participants. Also, the socio-cultural challenges in contemporary Japan that each film presents will be analyzed. Moreover, it aims to consolidate a network of filmmakers working on Japan and create a bridge for visual anthropologists, sociologists and filmmakers both in and outside Japan.

May 16, 13:30-

Part 1: "Imag(in)ing Society"

(the presentation of the interdisciplinary research/film project "Japanese youth in Emergency", CNRS, MESHS, 70min.)

1. Marc Hatzfeld

(Sociologist, Laboratoire de démographie historique -Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales, Paris)
presents extracts from "No Problem" and "Doors and Straights"

2. Alain Saulière

(Documentary filmmaker, Ateliers du passeur, Les Vans)
presents extracts from "Crossing Ways"

3. Thierry Ribault

(Project leader: Economist, Clersé-Cnrs-Meshs, Lille)
presents the future project on Japanese Youth

Part 2: Film Screening

"Down and out in Osaka"

By Native Voice Films (London)
15min. /2008
About the film: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2M_IR_mBxM

"Arukihenro - Walking Pilgrims -"

By Tommi Mendel (Filmmaker, University of Zurich)
73min. /2007
About the film: http://www.der.org/films/arukihenro.html

Main commentator: Mr. Renato Rivera (Kyoto University)


May 17, 13:30-

Part 1: Film Screening & Discussion

"Dekasegui"

By Roberto Maxwell (Videographer, Journalist)
11min./ 2006
About the film: http://www.shortshorts.org/2008/en/brazil-ab.html

"We Japanese"

By Tamarah Cohen (Associate Professor, Kansai Gaidai University)
About 30 min. (excerpt)/2009
About the project :(Movie Blog) http://ameblo.jp/labrys/page-1.html#main

Part 2: Film Screening & Discussion

"Patrasche, A Dog Of Flanders - Made in Japan"

By Didier Volckaert & An van Dienderen
85min./2008
About the film: http://www.dogofflanders.be/

Main commentator: Prof. Kimio Ito (Kyoto University)
Concluding Remarks: Prof. Richard Werbner(Manchester University)


The discussion during the WS is to be reported in "NAFA Network" News Letter circulated across the world by Commission on Visual Anthropology and Nordic Anthropological Film Association.