The Japan Documentary Film Award celebrates the best contemporary Japanese films. This year, our Grand Prize winner is Tsuchiya Tokachi’s An Ant Strikes Back, which tells the story about an employee speaking out against the labor abuses of the corporation where he works. The film draws from the tradition of great activist films, exploring the powerful story of a man who fights for his rights and the dignity of his labor.
We also have an Honorable Mention Winner, Hirose Nanako, whose film Book-Paper-Scissors is a meditation on craft and art, following the life and work of book designer Nobuyoshi Kikuchi. The deliberate film matches the craft it is following, allowing its audience to think about the surfaces and depths of artistic practice.
Our three-evening event opens with a screening of our guest judge Soda Kazuhiro’s Oyster Factory. All screenings will be followed by a Q&A with the director.
The schedule for the three nights is https://www.jdfa.pitt.edu/2020-screening-schedule
