NARAtive2012

INORI

Introduction

Pedro González-Rubio, the winner of the Golden SHIKA Award at the Nara International Film Festival 2010, directed "Inori," set in Kannogawa in Totsukawa Village, Nara. The Great Eastern Earthquake on March 11, 2011, the disastrous flooding in Totsukawa Village 120 years ago, and "Hojoki" (an essay wrtitten by Kamo no Chomei in the 13th century) which laments the transience of this world... Pedro received these incidents as being directly connected to himself and thus his journey began. As if following "Hojoki," Pedro conducted his camera like Kamo no Chomei put his writing brush on paper. In September 2011, the Kannogawa region was subjected to disastrous flooding due to a large typhoon and suffered devastating damage. Rubio heard of this disaster just as he was about to start editing his film. Facing the reality the scenery of the small community he filmed will never come back, the filmmaker showed his determined responsibility and gave his full focus in editing. With profound feelings attached to the villagers and the director himself, "Inori" is completed in 2012, the year marking the 800th anniversary since the Hojoki was written.
Pedro won the Golden Leopard Award with this film at the 65th edition of the Locarno Film Festival in 2012.

Story

There was a time when Konnogawa, a small Japanese mountain village, was cheerful and full of activity; today, young people have left the region to more populated areas in search of job opportunities. Kannogawa is about to disappear, its inhabitants are preparing for death and in this process they search for meaning in their lives.

Detail

Director: Pedro González-Rubio (Mexico)
Location: Totsukawa Village, Nara
Japan / 2012 / HD / 72 min / Japanese with English subtitle / Distributed by NIFF

Director

Pedro González-Rubio

Born in 1976 in Mexico, Pedro González-Rubio studied media in Mexico City before attending the London Film School. In 2005 he co-directed TORO NEGRO with Carlos Armella, a documentary rewarded the same year with the Horizontes Award at the San Sebastián International Film Festival. His solo directorial debut ALAMAR (2009) was awarded more than 15 prizes worldwide including the VPRO Tiger Award at the Rotterdam International Film Festival.

History

Nara International Film Festival 2012

Locarno International Film Festival (Switzerland)

Concorso cineasti del presente

Rio de Janeiro Int`l Film Festival (Brazil)

Festival Du Nouveau Cinema, Montreal (Canada)

Viennale - Vienna International Film Festival (Australia)

Festival Internacional de Cine de Morelia (Mexico) Best Mexican documentary

International Film Festival Rotterdam (Netherlands)

Baja Film Festival (Mexico)

HUMAN RIGHTS FILM FESTIVAL, ZAGREB/Croatia (Croatia)

MUSEUM OF THE MOVING IMAGE (America)

FIFE/Festival International du Film d‘Environnement (France)

Hong Kong International Film Festival (HongKong)

Ambulante Film Festival (Theater screening at 12 cities in Mexico)

Yebisu International Festival for Art & Alternative Visions (Japan)

Theatrical release at WARNER MYCAL CINEMAS Takanohara (Japan)

Punto de Vista (Spain)

BAFICI-Festivales de Buenos Aires (Argentina)

Cinema Planeta (Mexico)

Cinema Pacific (America)

Riviera Maya Film Festival (Mexico) Young Jury Kukulkan Award

San Francisco International Film Festival (America)

Documentary Film Festival ‘Encuentros del Otro Cine (Ecuador)

PLANETE+ DOC FILM FESTIVAL (Poland)

Ecofalante Environmental Film Festival (Brazil)

TRANSCINEMA (Peru)

London MexFest (England)

Vancouver Latin American Film Festival (Canada)

MoMA PS1 (America)

GenMex: Anthology Film Archives Cinema Tropical (America)

Saratov Sufferings International Film Festival (Russia)

Beyond the Mango Film Festival (England)

DVD and Theatrical release at Mexico

Nara pref. presents "The Wind from South" theater screening at 3 cities Tokyo/Osaka/Nagoya (Japan)

The Museum of Modern Art, New York Screened at "Naomi Kawase" 's retrospective exhibition (New York)

LOCATION

Totsukawa Village

Totsukawa village is located at the southernmost tip of Nara prefecture. It is a village blessed with forest and water resources in contact with Wakayama prefecture in the west and Mie prefecture in the east.Suspension bridges crossing beautiful mountain stream, and a number of magnificent waterfalls, hot springs which heals people,Kindness of people living in village...Totsukawa village has vast nature and a deep history, and it is colored with various attractions.

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Movies

INORI

NARAtive2012

Pedro González-Rubio, the winner of the Golden SHIKA Award at the Nara International Film Festival 2010, directed "Inori," set in Kannogawa in Totsukawa Village, Nara. The Great Eastern Earthquake on March 11, 2011, the disastrous flooding in Totsukawa Village 120 years ago, and "Hojoki" (an essay wrtitten by Kamo no Chomei in the 13th century) which laments the transience of this world... Pedro received these incidents as being directly connected to himself and thus his journey began. As if following "Hojoki," Pedro conducted his camera like Kamo no Chomei put his writing brush on paper. In September 2011, the Kannogawa region was subjected to disastrous flooding due to a large typhoon and suffered devastating damage. Rubio heard of this disaster just as he was about to start editing his film. Facing the reality the scenery of the small community he filmed will never come back, the filmmaker showed his determined responsibility and gave his full focus in editing. With profound feelings attached to the villagers and the director himself, "Inori" is completed in 2012, the year marking the 800th anniversary since the Hojoki was written.
Pedro won the Golden Leopard Award with this film at the 65th edition of the Locarno Film Festival in 2012.