Koji Yamamura: In The Studio Where Japan's Leading Animation is Born

Koji Yamamura, leading creator of Japanese animation (such as the Oscar-nominated Mt.Head, 2002) and regular contributor to the UK animation scene, including the Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival, returns to discuss his stellar career spanning over three decades.

In a unique opportunity for our audience, and a first for the animator, he will guide us virtually through his studio in real time, showcasing his creative processes and methods. He will also acquaint the audience more closely with his body of work, introducing his newest films which will be accompanied by a full-length screening of his short animation film, Polar Bear Bears Boredom (7mins), and the trailer of his newest feature length work, Dozens of Norths, ahead of its world premiere in November.

In conversation with film critic, filmmaker, and visual artist, Chiara Spagnoli Gabardi, this event will be an unmissable opportunity for lovers and aspiring makers of animated work to gain a first-hand practical insight into the workings of a successful animation studio.

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About the speakers

Koji Yamamura was born in 1964. During the 1990s, he was making films for children such as Pacusi, Bavel's Book and so on. Nominated for an Oscar for Best Animated Short, Mt. Head (2002) won 6 grand prizes and was selected for the 100 Films for a Century of Animation. Franz Kafka's A Country Doctor (2007) won 6 grand prizes; in total, his films were awarded more than 100 prizes. In 2021, he has placed 2nd in the 25 top short animated film directors from the last 25 years. He is also active as a picture book author for Viva Vegetables (Oyaoya Oyasai), Parade and so on. He was awarded the Kawakita Prize and Education Award for Fine Arts in Japan and received the Medal with Purple Ribbon in 2019. He is also a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, a sub-chairman of the Japan Animation Association and a member of the board of directors of ASIFA.

Chiara Spagnoli Gabardi is a film critic, culture and sustainability reporter, screenwriter, filmmaker and visual artist. Chiara’s Material Puns use wordplay to weld the title of the painting with the materials placed on canvas, through an ironic reinterpretation of Pop-Art, Dadaism and Ready Made. Chiara works for online, print, radio and television and has been a jury member and collaborator of several film festivals. She is also a Professor of Phenomenology of Contemporary Arts at IED University in Milan.