After premiering at Doc NYC, Kenji Tsukamoto debut documentary feature, “Ashima,” comes to the San Francisco Bay Area. Here, he follows legendary rock climber, Ashima Shiraishi, as she aims to master a V14 site – a bouldering grade accomplished by only 0.01% of climbers in the world. Over the course of the journey, we watch Shiraishi blossom into fame during her preteen years, cultivate her confidence under unconditional support of her father and coach, Poppo, and sport the colorful climbing shorts designed by her mother.
We caught documentarian Tsukamoto and producer Minji Chang in the advent of their San Francisco Bay Area premiere at CAAMFest 2024. We spoke about what it takes to make a solid documentary film: moving in with the subject, lots of generous editors, and of course, money.
What inspired the film?
Kenji Tsukamoto: In 2009, I moved back to the US from Japan. At the time, Japan had a really high suicide rate and hikkikomori,...
We caught documentarian Tsukamoto and producer Minji Chang in the advent of their San Francisco Bay Area premiere at CAAMFest 2024. We spoke about what it takes to make a solid documentary film: moving in with the subject, lots of generous editors, and of course, money.
What inspired the film?
Kenji Tsukamoto: In 2009, I moved back to the US from Japan. At the time, Japan had a really high suicide rate and hikkikomori,...
- 5/11/2024
- by Grace Han
- AsianMoviePulse
Doc NYC is known for its 15-feature film shortlist and for its annual Visionaries Tribute luncheon, which attracts the who’s who of the docu community from both coasts.
But, while the festival, which begins on Nov. 8, is a key campaign stop for filmmakers hoping to garner a spot on the Oscar documentary shortlist, it has also become a place where more documentarians are choosing to premiere their work.
This year 33 films out of the 253 featured on the main slate will have their world premieres at the fest.
Many of those films debuting at Doc NYC are profile docus including: “June,” a profile of June Carter Cash; “The Cowboy and the Queen,” about Queen Elizabeth II’s friendship with a California horse trainer; “Candace Parker: Unapologetic,” the story of the WNBA superstar; “Ashima,” about Ashima Shirashi, the Japanese-American rock climber who set world records in her teens; “Shari & Lamb Chop,...
But, while the festival, which begins on Nov. 8, is a key campaign stop for filmmakers hoping to garner a spot on the Oscar documentary shortlist, it has also become a place where more documentarians are choosing to premiere their work.
This year 33 films out of the 253 featured on the main slate will have their world premieres at the fest.
Many of those films debuting at Doc NYC are profile docus including: “June,” a profile of June Carter Cash; “The Cowboy and the Queen,” about Queen Elizabeth II’s friendship with a California horse trainer; “Candace Parker: Unapologetic,” the story of the WNBA superstar; “Ashima,” about Ashima Shirashi, the Japanese-American rock climber who set world records in her teens; “Shari & Lamb Chop,...
- 11/8/2023
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
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