Guests
Guests

• 

  Toshihiro Goto

  Goto is a filmmaker from the Nagaoka in Niigata Prefecture, born in 1968. He is a member of the Writers Guild of Japan. Goto entered independently produced films in both the 3rd and 4th Japan Indies Film Festivals. He has also played an active role in planning, making, directing, producing, and script writing for numerous TV programs, including Nippon TV’s “News Every,” “Kyou no Dekigoto,” and ”NNN Document,” Fuji TV’s “NONFIX” and “The Nonfiction.” Goto has become known for his work with upcoming young actors. In 2009, he made his debut as a filmmaker with “Monochrome Girl,” which saw the lead actor, Saki Terashima, nominated for Best Newcomer at the Tokyo Sports Film Award. In 2011, his film “White Rabbit in the Snow,” starring Nozomu Iwao and Anna Ishibashi was screened at the 3rd Okinawa International Film Festival. In 2013, he released “Yume no Kayoji” [Path of Dreams], starring Anna Ishibashi and Seika Taketomi. In 2014, he released “Hanahasu: Karen,” starring Takahiro Miura and Mayu Kitaki, and “Yume Haruka,” starring Miyu Yoshimoto. In 2017, his film “Lemmings Summer” won an Audience Award at the Hakodate Harbor Illumination Film Festival. In 2019, he released the mockumentary film “Utsukushisugiru Giin” [Too Beautiful to be a Politician], and most recently, he released “Hiroshima Piano,” a feature-length film, currently screening at cinemas throughout Japan, starring Shiro Sato and Tomu Muto.

• 

  Mitsunori Yagawa

  Yagawa is a piano tuner, born in Hiroshima in 1952. He moved to Tokyo at the age of 18 where, among other things, he worked for a major piano manufacturer. On returning to Hiroshima in 1993, he established Yagawa Piano Tuners. Two years later in 1995, he established Yagawa Pianos, branching out into piano restoration and voluntarily offering services to welfare facilities. These activities brought him into contact with Hiroshima atomic pianos. Since 2001, he has held a “Hiroshima Atomic Piano: Peace Concert” every year in Hiroshima Peace Park. He currently travels the length and breadth of Japan, cohosting Hiroshima atomic piano peace concerts. In 2019, Yagawa was awarded the Kiyoshi Tanimoto Peace Prize by Hiroshima Peace Center Foundation.

• 

  Michihito Fujii

  Fujii, born on August 14, 1986, started his career in film at Nihon University College of Art in Tokyo where he studied for a degree in cinematography. In 2010, he established the video production company, Babel Label, and in 2014 went on to direct his first feature film, “Oh! Father!” which was based on a novel by Kotaro Isaka. Since then, he has directed numerous films, including “We Are” (2018), “Day and Night” (2019), and “The Journalist,” released in 2019, which received 6 Japan Academy Film Prize nominations and won three. He is currently directing the much-awaited film, “The Family,” which is due to be released in 2021.

• 

  Kaya Kiyohara

  Born on January 30, 2002, Kiyohara’s career as an actor received a kick-start in 2014 when, at the age of 12, she applied for an audition held by the production company, Amuse. Selected for a grand prize from among 32,214 applicants, she has been acting ever since. In 2015, she made her debut performance in the NHK period drama, “Asa ga Kita” [Here Comes Asa!]. In 2018, she gained attention as one of Japan’s most promising young actors following her highly praised performance in the NHK TV drama series “Tomeina Yurikago” [The Transparent Cradle]. In her short career, she has already made appearances in numerous TV commercials, TV drama series and films. The films include “3 Gatsu no Raion” [March Comes in like a Lion] (2017), “Yuri-gokoro” [Honorable] (2017), the final feature length film of the trilogy “Chihayafuru” (2018), “Aiuta: Yakusoku no Nakuhito” [Love Song: Promises Live on] (2019), “Day and Night” (2019), and “Nozomi” [Hope] (2020). In 2019 alone, she appeared in the following TV drama series: NHK’s “Natsuzora” [Midsummer Sky], “Hotaru-gusa: Nana no Ken” [Dayflower: Nana’s Sword], and “Mango no Ki no Shita de: Luzon, Senka no Yakusoku” [Under the Mango Tree: The Battle of Luzon]; Wowow’s “Poison Daughter, Holy Mother;” and Nippon TV’s “Ore no Hanashi wa Nagai” [My Story is Long]. Her upcoming performances include the films “Matomo-janai-nowa Kimimo Issyo” [We are Unusual] and “Mamorarenakatta-monotachi-e” [For Those We could not Save], and a leading role in the NHK drama series “Okaeri Mone” [Welcome Home, Mone], which is due to air in spring 2021.

• 

  Keisuke IMAMURA

  Born in 1988 in Toyama Prefecture, Imamura graduated from Nihon University's Department of Fine Arts. Since graduating, he has shot many commercials for organizations such as Google, Canon and Microsoft among others. In recent years, he has worked as a cinematographer on numerous feature-length films, including “The Journalist,” “Day and Night,” “Hot Gimmick: Girl Meets Boy,” “Shino Cannot Say Her Own Name,” “Yuri-gokoro” [Honorable], “Goodbye, Grandpa!” and “Teiichi–Battle of Supreme High.” Imamura is making his debut as a director with the feature-length film “Yan.”

• 

  Long MIZUMA

  Born October 28, 1989 in Dalian China and raised in Osaka, Mizuma moved to Tokyo after graduating university and began acting. Fluent in Chinese and Japanese, he played his first leading role in the film titled “Yan” in 2020.
  
  Other Notable Performances:
  
  Television Series
  Midnight Diner (2016), Ushijima the Loan Shark 3 (2016), The House on the Slope (2019), Scum (2019), Sauna Men (2019), Tokyo Boy (2019), Ato Sankai, Kimini Aeru [We Can Only Meet Three More Times] (2020), Today’s Nekomura-san (2020), Ojisan wa Kawaiimono Ga Osuki [A Middle-aged Man in Love with Cute Things] (2020)
  
  Films
  Orchestra of Old men! (2016), A Beautiful Star (2017), Vigilante (2017), Love At Least (2017), The Way Home of Blue (2018), The Lies She Loved (2018), Masquerade Hotel (2019), Parallel World Love Story (2019), Hikita-san! Congratulations on Your Pregnancy (2019)

• 

  Yuya Ishii

  Yuya Ishii, born in Saitama Prefecture in 1983, attended Osaka University of Arts. His graduation film, “Bare-assed Japan” (2005), was awarded the Grand Prize at the 2007 Pia Film Festival. At 24 in 2008, Ishii was the first recipient of the Edward Yang New Talent Award at the 2nd Asian Film Awards. Four of his independent films gained attention at the International Film Festival Rotterdam and Hong Kong International Film Festival. His first commercial feature film, “Sawako Decides” (2010), led to a formal invite to the Berlin International Film Festival. He was the youngest director ever to win Best Film Award and Blue Ribbon Awards for Best Director at Montreal’s Fantasia International Film Festival. His film, “The Great Passage” (2013), won Picture of the Year at the 37th Japan Academy Film Prize, and he was awarded Director of the Year. He was the youngest ever director to represent Japan at the Academy Award—the Oscars—in the US in the Foreign Language Film category. In 2014, Ishii’s candid portrayal of family bonds in “Our Family” gained accolade both in Japan and abroad. In the same year, he directed “The Vancouver Asahi,” presenting a well-balanced portrayal of the difficulties and hardships encountered by Japanese immigrants in Canada in the 1930s. The film, which was a hit in Japan, won an Audience Award at the 33th Vancouver International Film Festival.
  In 2017, Ishii released the feature film “The Tokyo Night Sky is Always the Densest Shade of Blue” inspired by Tahi Saihate’s collection of poems. First shown in the Forum category at the 67th Berlin International Film Festival in February 2017, it went on to win the Best Picture Award at the Tama Cinema Forum and was placed first on the 91st Kinema Junpo Best Ten Films List. It was also selected for numerous directing and best picture awards at events such as the 39th Yokohama Film Forum, 32nd Takasaki Film Forum, 30th Nikkan Sports Film Award, and 12th Asian Film Awards Academy. Ishii’s accomplishments, both in Japan and abroad, have undoubtedly brought his work as a director into the spotlight.
  In 2021, Ishii plans to release “The Asian Angel,” his first feature film directed in collaboration with a crew from Korea.

• 

  Nozomu Kasagi

  Born in Hokkaido, Japan in 1974. Dropped out of Sophia University. Directed ""Where is his training suits ?"" in his school days, being selected for 7 film festivals including the Kyoto international Student Film & Video Festival, Mito Short Film Festival, and the Akiruno Film Festival, also winning audience awards etc. The film also marked the largest audience at the short movie theater Tollywood. Made his feature film directorial debut with ""Swan Song"". Directed best-selling Shueisha mobile phone novel ""Tokyo Real"" etc. Has also been actively involved in other genres, including TV drama ""Shonan Tile Roof Story"" etc., music videos for Megumi Hayashibara and Seikima-Ⅱ, and stage performances such as the modern version of ""A Streetcar Named Desire"" etc.

• 

  Nobuhiro Suwa

  Suwa, born in Hiroshima in 1960, has started making movies since a student at Tokyo Zokei University School of Design. ln 1985, he directed, produced, wrote, and shot the shortfilm "Hanasareru GANG", ｗhich was entered into the 8th Pia Film Festival. He has also worked on several TV documentaries, ｗith his 1995 documentary about Sojin Kamiyama, one of the very feｗ actors froｍ Japan to work in Hollywood, receiving high praise. He made his feature-length film debut in 1997 ｗith "2/Duo". Froｍ here, his unique improvisational style of filmmaking began in earnest. ln 1999, his film "Ｍ/Ｏther" won the FIPRESCI Prize at the 52nd Cannes Film Festival, Best Film at the 14th Takasaki Film Festival, and Best Script at 54th Mainichi Film Awards. He has made several experimental films, such as "H Story", ｗhich is a remake of Alain Resnais's "Hiroshima Mon Amour" "Un Couple Parfait" set in Paris and made ｗith a French and Japanese staff, "Yuki ＆ Nina" ｗhich starred a 9-years-old girl ｗith no previous acting experience, all of ｗhich were created with no set scenario. In 2017, he released "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" ｗhich stars legendary French actor Jean-Pierre Leaud. He currently teaches at the graduate school of film and new media at Tokyo University of the Arts.

• 

  J.R. Heffelfinger

  J.R. heffelfinger is an award-winning director and producer and the founder of the creative agency Runaway Horses.
  
  His mission as an artist is to unveil hidden truths about the human condition, give voice to the voiceless and make the invisible, visible. His clients include HBO, Facebook, Disney and Avenues The World School.
  ​
  J.R.'s debut feature film 'Niji No Shita Ni' (Under The Rainbow) had its world premiere at the 28th Mill Valley Film Festival and reviewed as being touched by the spirits of Kurosawa and Imamura, filled unexpected wonders and gentle humor and radiating with the resilient glow of life.

• 

  Dr. Akiko Mikamo

  DR. AKIKO MIKAMO published 8:15 - A True Story of Survival and Forgiveness from Hiroshima (formerly Rising from the Ashes in 2013) to spread the message of resiliency and forgiveness for betterment of humanity from her father’s story she grew up listening to. Being raised by two Hiroshima survivors, she promised herself as a child to contribute to world peace. She has dedicated her career in leadership development, mental health, and education to promote peace and betterment of humanity among diverse groups of people to create a harmony as a medical psychologist, executive coach, consultant, author and speaker. In 2014, Dr. Mikamo received the Award for Exceptional Services for World Peace and Humanity from World Peace and Prosperity Foundation at House of Lords in London for promoting forgiveness and empathy through her writing and speaking.

• 

  Sotaro Tanaka

  Born in Tokyo. His acting career has been for screen films, TV dramas, and theater stages, and he also directs theater plays and translates foreign scripts into Japanese. In recent years, he played roles in the films including "Salomon No Gishou" (2015, Directed by Izuru Narushima), "Chokosoku Sankinkotai Returns" (2016, Directed by Katsuhide Motoki), "Yuwo Wakasuhodono Atsui Ai" (2016, Directed by Ryota Nakano), "Gyakkou No Koro" (2017, Directed by Keiichi Kobayashi), "Kita No Mamoribito" (2018, Directed by Yojiro Takita), "Tabineko Report" (2018, Directed by Kouichiro Miki), and others.

• 

  Rithy Panh

  Born in 1964 in Cambodia, Panh graduated from L'Institut des hautes études cinématographiques (IDEAC). Since graduating, he has shot more than 20 films regardless genre, albeit it documentary or fiction. He has received international acclaim, especially for his documentary films, such as “The Missing Picture,” which won Best Film in the Un Certain Regard category of the 2013 Cannes Film Festival. Panh has been active as a driving force in the film industry in Cambodia. He is a representative at the “Bophana Center,” an audiovisual center in Cambodia dedicated to preserving the history of Cambodian film, photography and audiovisual heritage. The center was restored with the help of the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts of Cambodia in 2006. He also established the “Cambodia Film Commission” to support Cambodia upcoming filmmakers.

• 

  BION / BION ISEIJIN

  In 1998, Bion Toyoshima submitted his acoustic work, “Sense of Sound” to the Okamoto Taro Award for Contemporary Art (TARO Award). His performance, watched by Toshiko Okamoto, secretary and adopted daughter of the late Japanese avant-garde artist, Taro Okamoto, led to the creation of Bion Iseijin, Toyoshima’s avant-garde performance art alter ego. Bion Iseijin—an alien on the star of beautiful sounds—wears “Artist Training Armor,” a spring-loaded costume designed to resist the Earth’s gravity and denote the challenges faced by earthlings. Iseijin performs to the Bion Machine, which generates beautiful sounds. In 2002, Toyoshima released “Bion Flash,” a musical composition ridiculing world leaders’ interests in nuclear testing. In 2009, he created the group “Bion Pink Dancers,” recruiting a team of back dancers incapable of dancing. In 2013, he began performing “Super Mitsuko,” a story depicting love with a doll pulled from the ruins of the atomic bomb. He later took this performance abroad to venues in Taiwan, Korea, Cambodia, and more. His collaboration with the director Rithy Panh in 2019 led to an appearance as a ghost in the 2020 Berlinale Documentary Award winning film, “Irradiated.” In 2020, he also created and released on Instagram the character “Mask Girl,” a self-portrait exhibiting resilience under the COVID-19 pandemic. He is now active with various presentations and exhibitions, which, in addition to performance art, include sketches and film production.

• 

  Sunao Katabuchi

  Born in 1960, Sunao, a renowned director of numerous animated films, is an emeritus professor at Nihon University College of Art. During his career as faulty member of the university’s Department of Cinema, he worked on numerous projects. Some of the most noteworthy include working as a scriptwriter on Hiyao Miyazawa’s animated TV series “Sherlock Hound” (1984) and directing: the animated TV series “Lassie” (1996); the feature-length animated film “Princess Arete” (2001); the animated TV series “Black Lagoon” (2006); and the feature-length animated film “Mai Mai Miracle” (2009). Set in Hiroshima and Kure, his feature-length animated film, “In this Corner of the World” (2016) became a long-running film. Its sequel, “In this Corner (and Other Corners) of the World,” was released in December 2019. Most recently, he has been active as a producer on Yujiro Harumoto’s live-action film, “Yuko no Tenbin” [A Balance], scheduled for release in 2021.

• 

  Katsushi Hasegawa

  Hasegawa is a high school teacher. For the last 11 years, he has been making CG videos and VR content showing Hiroshima before the atomic bomb hit.
  
  Other works he has created with students:
  VR Hypocenter
  VR Shoureikan (The Atomic Bomb Dome before the blast)
  VR Battle Ship Yamato
  VR Human Weapon Kaiten (Kamikaze)