In conjunction with the exhibitionAinu Stories: Contemporary Lives by the Saru River, Japan House London is delighted to present two free screenings of Ainu Neno An Ainu (2021),a documentary project that is both a photographic series and a film.

The film, which has been awarded the Best Documentary prize by the Biopic Fest jury in Rome in 2023, is an interwoven set of stories narrated by Maya, a young woman of Ainu descent who grew up in the village of Nibutani in Biratori, Hokkaido. As a college student, Maya’s goal is to retain her Ainu heritage through language and culture, making it more accessible to future generations of both Ainu and Japanese people.

Maya’s voice guides the audience as other villagers tell their stories and portray the histories of their community, from their individual and collective journey from assimilation and discrimination in the past to the rediscovery of their own language and culture. The cast is comprised of the people who live in the village of Nibutani, which hosts a population that is estimated to be over 70 percent of Ainu descent. The stories of Nibutani form an extended family album, revealing a tight-knit community deeply involved in both recovering and reinventing their heritage, including their orally-passed-down language which is woven deeply into the Ainu way of life.

The screening on Sunday 17 March includes a Q&A session with Laura Liverani, co-director of the film and founding member of Lunch Bee House, a collective of international creators whose name is an homage to an Ainu restaurant in Nibutani run by Kaizawa Yukiko, one of the protagonists of the film.

The screening is in Japanese with English subtitles. Duration: approx. 72 minutes.

The exhibition Ainu Stories: Contemporary Lives by the Saru Riveris on display in the Gallery at Japan House London from 16 November 2023 until 21 April 2024.

Please note that filming and photography may take place at this event. Photos and footage of the event may then be used to promote Japan House London, helping more people to discover what we offer. If you have any concerns, please contact us online or contact a member of the team on site.

About the speaker

Based between Japan and Italy, documentary photographer Laura Liverani works mainly on socio-anthropological issues focusing on community and identity. Her work has appeared in magazines, books, exhibitions and festivals worldwide. She lectures regularly at universities and is a member of international photojournalism agency Prospekt. Publications and clients include Benetton, The Whitechapel Gallery, lperborea, The Guardian, The Washington Post, Marie Claire. She held solo shows at the Tokyo G/P Gallery, the Italian Cultural Institute in Tokyo, the Japan Foundation in Sydney, and participated at numerous festivals such as the Singapore International Photo Festival and the Helsinki Photofestival.

Booking Essential | Admission Free