EVENT | Bringing energy to Tohoku and Japan through fireworks!
EVENT | Bringing Tohoku and Japan to life with fireworks!
Ryuichi Sakamoto appears at the venue for the documentary film 'LIGHT UP NIPPON'!
The 'LIGHT UP NIPPON' Executive Committee will hold simultaneous fireworks displays on August 11 (Thursday) in various disaster-stricken areas along the Pacific coast, which were heavily damaged by the tsunami from the Great East Japan Earthquake. The documentary film 'LIGHT UP NIPPON: The Miracle Fireworks That Lit Up Japan,' compiled from footage gathered after the disaster, began screening on July 7. On the 9th, a talk show with Ryuichi Sakamoto and the organizer, Yoshitake Takada, was suddenly held.
Photographs & Text by Gotaro Hosomura (OPENERS)
A project born from a salaryman's question becomes a film!
Yoshitake Takada, the organizer of 'LIGHT UP NIPPON,' is actually a salaryman. After 3.11, the project began with the question, 'What will happen to the fireworks from the Tokyo Bay Fireworks Festival that were canceled due to the earthquake?' On August 11 last year, with the cooperation of local residents, fireworks were launched simultaneously at 10 locations along the Pacific coast of Tohoku. This year, on the same date, August 11, fireworks will be launched with even more power.
The documentary film 'LIGHT UP NIPPON: The Miracle Fireworks That Lit Up Japan' is a compilation of 900 hours of footage documenting the difficulties and efforts from April 10, less than a month after the earthquake, leading up to the fireworks festival on August 11. It is being screened nationwide, including at Shinjuku Wald 9, until July 20. A portion of the profits from ticket sales will be donated to the 'LIGHT UP NIPPON' fireworks festival.
Ryuichi Sakamoto himself appears at the cinema for a talk show!
On July 7 and 8, Sakamoto was an organizer for the music event 'NO NUKES 2012.' Despite his likely exhaustion from performing with YMO and various other bands, he suddenly appeared with Yoshitake Takada at Shinjuku Wald 9, where the film was being screened, for a talk session. Though brief, we will record the memorable words exchanged at this closing event.
'I believe it's good to try what you believe in, even if you get a few scrapes along the way. I'm doing this because it's enjoyable. If everyone cooperates, even on something small like this, won't Japan become brighter?' said Takada.
'The shape of a country is made by people, so you need interesting people. Takada has that potential. If more such people emerge in Japan, it would be wonderful. Takada is a young man with truly unique ideas and the ability to execute them,' said Sakamoto, making Takada beam with joy. The event concluded with a firm handshake.
Let's all watch the film and participate in the fireworks festival to brighten Japan.
※ Available for VOD viewing on the online platform <KINEZO CINEMA>.
From July 7 to July 20. For 1200 yen, you can watch it 24 hours a day, as many times as you like. 1200 yen
premiere.kinezo.jp/lun
※ DVD rental available from July 7 at TSUTAYA and TSUTAYA DISCAS.