Extremely honoured for "Ushiku" to be included in Third Window Films' Top 10 Japanese films of 2021 (LINK)!! Thank you, Third Window Films, for your support!
This is a blog documenting me, Thomas, who documents the lives of other people. I'll write a lot about life in Japan post 3/11 and also link videos from my YouTube Channel. 有り難う for stopping by.
Friday, December 31, 2021
"Ushiku" included in Third Window Films' Top 10 Japanese films of 2021
Monday, December 27, 2021
"Ushiku" to be released in Japanese cinemas in 2022!
日本語下記
BREAKING: the distributor 太秦株式会社 (Uzamasa) has just announced "Ushiku" will open in Tokyo’s イメージフォーラム (Image Forum) theatre on February 26 with a nationwide theatrical release to follow!
I am in awe of the courage of the participants in the film who continue to speak out and share about their experiences in Japanese immigration detention. And I am extremely grateful to our team and supporters.
2022.2.26(土)より
シアター・イメージフォーラムほか
全国順次公開決定!
Friday, December 24, 2021
"Ushiku" selected as of the Japan Foundation's "Japanese Movies to Represent 2021"
(日本語下記)
The Japan Foundation's "The Japanese Film Festival (JFF)", a project to promote Japanese film around the world, has just released it's annual list "Japanese Movies to Represent 2021, Selected by 7 Experts from Around the World". I am extremely honoured for "Ushiku" to be selected by Nippon Connection Japanese Film Festival's Marion Klomfass where she wrote "One of the most important films this year for me was Ushiku by Thomas Ash".
READ: https://jff.jpf.go.jp/read/column/2021_japanese_movies/
JFF(Japanese Film Festival)は、国際交流基金が実施する海外への日本映画促進事業です。
「世界の映画人7人が選ぶ、2021年を象徴する日本映画」
今年の「日本映画祭ニッポン・コネクション」でニッポン・ドックス賞を受賞したトーマス・アッシュ監督の『牛久』は、私にとって2021年の映画のなかでもとくに重要な1本。牛久の「入国管理センター」で極限状態に晒された収容者へのインタビューを隠しカメラによって撮影し、日本の強硬な難民政策のおぞましさをあぶり出した問題作だ。
マリオン・クロムファス
ドイツのフランクフルト・アム・マインで開催される日本映画祭「ニッポン・コネクション」のディレクター。
https://jff.jpf.go.jp/ja/read/column/2021_japanese_movies/
Friday, December 17, 2021
"Ushiku" voted one of the 20 Best Japanese Movies of 2021
I am extremely honoured my new documentary "Ushiku" has been included in Asian Movie Pulse's annual lists of the "Best Japanese Movies" and "Best Asian Films"!
The 20 Best Japanese Movies of 2021 list can be found here: https://asianmoviepulse.com/2021/12/the-20-best-japanese-movies-of-2021/
The 25 Best Asian Films of 2021list can be found here: https://asianmoviepulse.com/2021/12/the-25-best-asian-films-of-2021/
Thursday, November 25, 2021
UK, France, Singapore and Germany screeings of "Ushiku"
「牛久」イギリス上映11月28日、フランス初上映12月3日、シンガポールにて東南アジア初上映12月4日!そして、11月いっぱいまでドイツにてオンライン上映!
Upcoming "Ushiku" (WEBSITE) screenings include the UK's Global Health Film Nov 28, the French Premier in Festival Fenêtressur le Japon, and the Southeast Asia Premier in Singapore International Film Festival - SGIFF Dec. 4! And the film can be seen online all this month in Germany's Nippon Connection - Japanese Film Festival Replay!
UK (Online) Global Health FF (Nov 28): https://www.globalhealthfilm.org/resources/ushiku-2021
France (Live) Festival Fenêtressur le Japon (Dec 3): https://fenetres-japon.fr/?cat=107
Singapore (Live)Singapore Int FF (Dec 4): https://sgiff.com/films/ushiku/
Germany (Online) Nippon Connection Replay (until end of November): https://nipponconnection.com/de/program/replay/
Thursday, October 28, 2021
Three more film festival screenings of "Ushiku" announced!
「牛久」グアム初上映11月12日、ロンドン上映11月28日、東南アジア初上映12月4日!
More "Ushiku" screenings announced! Guam Premier in the Guam International Film Festival Nov 12, Global Health Film (UK) Nov 28, and Southeast Asia Premier in the Singapore International Film Festival Dec. 4!
DETAILS and TICKETS:
Guam Int FF (Nov 12): https://www.guamfilmfestival.org/ushiku
Global Health FF (Nov 28): https://www.globalhealthfilm.org/resources/ushiku-2021
Singapore Int FF (Dec 4): https://sgiff.com/films/ushiku/
Wednesday, October 06, 2021
"Ushiku" receives Audience Award in Holland
(日本語下記)
Today we are pleased to announce the winner of the 2021 Audience Award. After counting all the votes in Rotterdam and Amsterdam, Ushiku stays at the top of the rankings. Congratulations to director Thomas ASH.
To make this important documentary, ASH used a hidden camera to interview inmates at the Ushiku immigration centre near Tokyo about their treatment and Japan’s uncompromising refugee policy on the eve of the COVID-19 outbreak.
We are particularly pleased to find that CAMERA JAPAN audiences enjoy and appreciate the variety of films our programmers pick out for the festival.
2021年のカメラジャパンが無事終了しました。
応援してくださった皆様のご支援に対し、”A BIG ARIGATOU (アリガトウ)”、大きな感謝を申し上げます。
本日は、今年の観客賞をお伝えいたします。ロッテルダムとアムステルダムで行われた投票を集計したところ、『牛久』が第1位に輝きました。トーマス・アッシュ監督、おめでとうございます。
この重要なドキュメンタリーを制作するにあたり、アッシュ監督は隠しカメラを用い、東京近郊の牛久市(茨城県)にある東日本入国管理センターの収容者たちにインタビューを行いました。
新型コロナウイルスの感染爆発が起きる直前の時期に、撮影は開始されました。被収容者たちが施設内でどのような扱いを受けているか、そして難民に対する日本の容赦のない姿勢をカメラは捉えています。
観客の皆様に、当映画祭のプログラマーたちが選んだ多彩な作品を、存分にお楽しみいただけましたこと、私たちは大変嬉しく思っております。
『音楽』(2020)、『翔んで埼玉』(2019)、『カメラを止めるな!』(2018)、『聲の形』(2017)、『ビリギャル』(2016)、『駆込み女と駆出し男』(2015)、『太秦ライムライト』(2014)、『東京家族』(2013)、『かもめ食堂』(2012)、『うさぎドロップ』(2011)、『かずら』(2010)、『大阪ハムレット』(2009)、『全然大丈夫』(2008)、『鉄コン筋クリート』(2007)、『火火』(2006)
Friday, September 24, 2021
Four more "Ushiku" Premiers confirmed
Four more premiers for "Ushiku" have just been confirmed.
Following screenings today (Fri, Sept 24) and tomorrow (Sat, Sept 25) in Rotterdam's CAMERA JAPAN Festival, "Ushiku" will hold the following premiers:
Austria Premier on Oct 8 in Vienna's Japannual
https://www.japannual.at/film-2021/ushiku
Japan Premier Oct 9 in Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival, where the film was described as "This is work of watchdog journalism that sounds the alarm about state power run amok."
https://online.yidff.jp/en/film/ushiku/)
Munich Premier Oct 11 in Underdox - Festival für Dokument und Experiment
https://underdox-festival.de/en/programm/festival-2021/2512/)
UK Premier Oct 24 in London East Asia Film Festival, where the film was described as “A powerful and disturbing, but essential record of human rights abuses.”
https://www.leaff.org.uk/documentary-1
And there are more exciting announcements coming soon! Thank you all for your support!
Thursday, September 16, 2021
"Ushiku" awarded Top Prize in Asian Category at Festival in Korea
At the closing ceremony, held on September 16, Ushiku received the Asian Perspective Award, the top prize in the Asian Competition. When presenting the award, Director Lee Soojung, a judge on the Asian Perspective panel, said:
The awarded documentary, “Ushiku,” is a documentary that uncovers the confined secret lives of refugees in Japan that face harsh reality amidst the Coronavirus pandemic, the Tokyo Olympics, and the Japanese government’s uncompromising refugee deportations.
The documentary uses the limitations in filming as its cinematic medium, drawing the audience into reality and making it an issue for all. Through this, the film demonstrates the power of documentaries.
DMZ Docs HP: https://www.dmzdocs.com/eng/
Link to full closing ceremony: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ir2J9ZluqcU
I was extremely honoured to receive this same award in 2015 for my film "-1287" (STORY).
Wednesday, September 08, 2021
Korean Premier of "Ushiku" to begin
「牛久」韓国上映。Friends in Korea: "Ushiku" (homepage) screening from TOMORROW (Sept 9) in DMZ 국제다큐멘터리영화제 DMZ International Documentary Film Festival!
This year, the festival is hybrid: streaming Sept 9-16 and in-person Sept 12 at 11:00 and Sept 15 at 16:30. INFOSaturday, September 04, 2021
Dutch Premier of "Ushiku" announced
Announcing the Dutch Premier of "Ushiku" in CAMERA JAPAN Festival on Sept 24 and 25.
INFO: https://camerajapan.nl/event/ushiku/
Belgium in Electric Shadows on Sept 5.
INFO
USA in I Will Tell International Film Festival ONLINE until Sept 9.
INFO
Wednesday, September 01, 2021
Post-screening Q&A held online in the I Will Tell FF
TONIGHT (Sept 1) at 7PM EDT in the US, a live ONLINE screening of "Ushiku" took place in the I Will Tell International Film Festival. Peter, one of the participants in the film, and I joined the post-screening Q&A which was led by festival director Jenny Lee. INFO
Tuesday, August 31, 2021
Instagram Live Q&A held with Japan Cuts in NYC
"Ushiku" is screening ONLINE in the US in Japan Society's JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Film until Sept 2: https://film.japansociety.org/film/ushiku/
Tuesday, August 24, 2021
"Ushiku" to screen in Belgium
Sunday, August 22, 2021
"Ushiku" introduced on NHK World program J-FLICKS
Extremely honoured by the coverage of my documentary Ushiku in the newest episode of the NHK WORLD-JAPAN program J-FLICKS.
Thursday, August 19, 2021
"Ushiku" to screen online in the US in Japan Cuts FF
映画「牛久」アメリカ上映!Friends in the US: "Ushiku" will be screening ONLINE in the Japan Society's JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Film starting TOMORROW (Aug 20) through Sept 2.
Tuesday, August 10, 2021
"Ushiku" to sceen in two upcoming festivals in the US and one in Korea
I am honoured to announce screenings of my documentary "Ushiku" in Japan Society Film's Japan Cuts FF (USA, Aug 20-Sept 2), I Will Tell International Film Festival (USA, Aug 30-Sept 9) & DMZ 국제다큐멘터리영화제 DMZ International Documentary Film Festival (Korea, Sept 9-16).
Saturday, July 24, 2021
Philosopher Hiroki Azuma publishes essay about "Ushiku"
The essay can be found here: https://genron-alpha.com/news20210622_01/
Wednesday, July 07, 2021
"Sending Off" receives award for Best Documentary in Italy
Friday, June 11, 2021
"Ushiku" featured in Japan Times
Honoured and grateful that “Ushiku” was featured on the entire back page of today’s The Japan Times.
Monday, June 07, 2021
"Ushiku" awarded in Germany
Friday, May 28, 2021
1,600 viewers join preview of "Ushiku"
It was humbling to have 1,600 viewers join us online for the preview screening of "Ushiku" last evening. And I continue to be in awe of the courageousness of the participants who choose to speak out about their treatment inside of immigration detention at great risk. Two of the participants joined us for the screening last evening, and I look forward to more screenings where audiences can hear directly from more of the film's participants.
Thursday, May 20, 2021
"Ushiku" Press Conference held at The Foreign Correspondents' Club Of Japan
A Press Conference about my new documentary "Ushiku" was held today at the The Foreign Correspondents' Club Of Japan: Human Rights Abuses In Japan's Detention Centers
Tuesday, May 11, 2021
"Ushiku" trailer released
牛久市にある東日本入国管理センターに収容された難民申請者が、隠しカメラにその実態を語る。
Seeking asylum in Japan, detainees at the infamous Ushiku immigration centre speak out in secretly recorded interviews.
比類なき不正義
an injustice of Olympic proportion
予告編 TRAILER: