_Retrospective: Naomi KawaseKawase, Naomi For a 23-year-old Japanese woman, everything was immense, except silence. The world was right outside, to be broken by her full-of-doubt look. Questions popped into her mind: why the father´s abandonment? Why the mother´s option for adoption? Why the no-love in the pregnant woman´s womb, why did the father never [...] HotaruHOTARU Ayako is a dancer working at a local striptease club at the city of Nara. Disturbed by her memories, she has just suffered an abortion and broken up with an abusive boyfriend. Daiji is a solitary craftsman, making pottery for temple ceremonies. When the two meet, their fragmented [...] KatatsumoriKATATSUMORI Two years after “Embracing”, Kawase films the everyday life of her granma (her adopted mother). The old age, the death, the growing flowers and peas captured by her juvenile sensibility. KomaKOMA 70 years ago, a man visits a quiet village named Koma. He accidentally saves a boy’s life and by way of thanks the boy’s father gives him a hanging scroll. Time passes, and now that man’s grandchild visits Koma. Kawase Naomi explores the Korean-Japanese relationship and the [...] NanayoNANAYO | NANAYOMACHI Kawase lives her hometown Nara and Japan to shoot in a small village in Thailand, This is the story of Saiko discovering her new self as she breaks out of the routine and spends seven nights in Thailand learning traditional Thai massage and being comforted by [...] SharaSHARA | SHARASOJYU The Aso family lives in an old urban area of Nara, succeeding the Japanese ink craftsmanship from generation to generation. On the very hot Bon holiday, twin elder brother, Kein, vanishes as if he is spirited away. The time for Aso family has stopped since that [...] SuzakuSUZAKU | MOE NO SUZAKU Nishiyosino-mura is a village in a forest famous for its cedars at Nara. Kozo Tahara is the head of a family that has worked in forestry for generations. In 1971, the economic crisis hits the village, forcing many of its inhabitants to leave. That [...] The mourning forestA FLORESTA DOS LAMENTOS | THE MOURNING FOREST | MOGARI NO MORI In a retirement home, among mountains of the city of Nara, the old and doente Shigeki lives with fond memories of his late wife. The young Machiko newly-appointed caretaker, also lost her child in an accident and [...] EmbracingABRAÇANDO | EMBRACING | NI TSUTSUMARETE In her first film, Kawase setting out on a journey to find her unknown father. Then-23-year-old she faces a difficult phone call and revelations about her birth. A tense film, directed with her straight eyes, clear voice and poetry. Letter from a yellow cherry blossomCARTA DE UMA CEREJEIRA AMARELA EM FLOR | LETTER FROM A YELLOW CHERRY BLOSSOM | TSUIOKU NO DANSU Nishii Kazuo is a renowned photo critic and chief editor for the Camera Mainichi magazine that publishes the most provocatives japanese photographers like Araki Nobuyoshi and Moriyama Daido. In the fall [...] Sky, wind, fire, water, earthCÉU, VENTO, FOGO, ÁGUA, TERRA | SKY, WIND, FIRE, WATER, EARTH | KYA KA RA BA A A message informs Kawase of her father’s death. More than 8 years has passed since her journey in “Embracing”. She watches her film again with her friends. Kawase bears ambiguous feelings, throughout [...] TarachimeNASCIMENTO E MATERNIDADE | TARACHIME Documentary film which observes life through childbirth. Kawase who always worked under the theme of family, life and death, presents her own childbirth experience. “First, I was planning to film from the day I conceived a child and to the moment I gave birth. [...] Seen the heavenOLHANDO O PARAÍSO | SEEN THE HEAVEN | TEN MITAKE The sequel to “Katatsumori”. Kawase and her adopted mother. The sun, the nature, the love and attachment between these two women. Setting sunSOL POENTE | SETTING SUN | HI WA KATABUKI The last piece of the trilogy, following “Katatsumori” and ““Ten Mitake”. Her gazes, insights, a letter, her voice and reflexive images and sensations. Search    |