Why was the Kaminari Film Festival born?
In 2015, I suddenly fell seriously ill and was rushed to the hospital by ambulance. As I lay in the hospital bed, I thought, "This is it. I've lived selfishly, and now I'm going to die."
But I survived. And in that moment, I made a decision: if I had been given more time, I wouldn't waste it. I would pursue what I truly wanted to do. One of those dreams was making a film.
Upon my release, I immediately began working on a film project. I raised the funds through crowdfunding, and the film was completed. I wanted as many people as possible to see it. But how could an unknown, low-budget director promote a film without spending money?
I thought: what if I submitted it to film festivals? If I could win an award, the media might cover the film without a single advertising yen spent.
There are tens of thousands of festivals worldwide. I submitted to several I had heard of. But of course, it wasn't that easy. I couldn't even make it into the top tier, let alone win.
Frustrated, I wondered: Are foreign filmmakers in Japan just ignored by the local industry?
Through conversations with other directors and friends with festival experience, I learned that timing, jury connections, and past awards heavily influence results. Even with a great film, without industry ties, one remains invisible.
My wife, tired of my constant frustration, said, "Why don't you start your own festival and give your film an award?" Maybe she just wanted me to stop complaining. But I thought, she's right!
There are countless independent filmmakers with low budgets and no industry ties just like me. Why not create a space for them? A new platform for those shut out by the traditional system.
In the beginning, I co-hosted a festival with partners experienced in event management. However, disagreements led us to part ways.
Five years ago, I decided to start a new festival—one dedicated to creativity over budget. A festival for independent filmmakers producing quality work with minimal resources.
And so, the Kaminari Japan Film Festival was born.
Just as we launched, the pandemic forced us into online-only screenings. Then, when COVID finally subsided, I myself suffered a stroke.
I'm still in rehabilitation. My physical condition doesn't allow me to attend the festival or manage logistics. But I continue this festival with one hope: that one day, I will once again meet creators from around the world at the venue.
"We want to amplify films not driven by commercial interests."
Kaminari Japan Film Festival keeps entry fees low and open to emerging filmmakers. Our genres include:
Eraserhead (Horror)
Music Videos
Anything Goes (Surprise Us!)
Documentaries
The new Mobile Moments category
Dramas
We continually evolve, adding new categories to reflect the times.
This Year's Highlights
This year, we received 252 submissions from 35 countries. From those, we hand-picked six outstanding works for screening.
Your feedback as an audience member might inspire the next great film.
Join us at a small theater in Daikanyama, where unnamed talents from across the globe gather.
Date: Monday, June 9, 2025
Screenings from: 3:30 PM
Awards Ceremony from: 8:30 PM
Venue: Theatre Guild Daikanyama
Sanroze Daikanyama B1, 11-6 Sarugakucho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Ticket Reservations: [https://theaterguild.co/movie/detail/KamimariJapanFilmFestival2025/]
https://note.com/eiga_express/n/nfba68cf04851
