IAD 2023 in Kyoto - A Retrospective Program of Renzo and Sayoko Kinoshita

IAD 2023 in Kyoto - A Retrospective Program of Renzo and Sayoko Kinoshita

November 3rd (Fri.), 2023, at 17:00 - 20:00

"GEBA GEBA SHOW TIME”

1986, 35mm/videogram, 28:00
(an excerpts of 10 min. will be shown.)

Direction:　Renzo Kinoshita
Art & Animation: Sayoko Kinoshita
Production: Studio Lotus, Inc.

Heart warming 67 gag animation shorts of Mr. Geba Geba, a very popular character, are connected into one film. Without any dialogue, these gags are the laughter for people around the world, regardless of countries.

- Selected for Chicago International Film Festival for Children
- Preserved at the Film Archive of The Japan Foundation

"CURRICULA MACHINE”

1974 - 1976, broadcast on Nippon TV
(an excerpts of 12 min. will be shown.)

“CURRICULA MACHINE” is an educational program for children, broadcast on Nippon Television during 1974 - 1976.

“Commercial Films Selection”

12:50 

A selection of commercial films made by Renzo and Sayoko Kinoshita during 1970s - 1980s, winning many international awards.

“WHAT ON EARTH IS HE?”

1971, 35mm, 3:40

Direction: Renzo Kinoshita
Script: Sayoko Kinoshita
Animation: Renzo Kinoshita & SayokoKinoshita
Music: Seiichiro Uno
Production: Sayoko Kinoshita, Studio Lotus, Inc.

Japan being No.1 in Gross National Products, in return became a country of various pollution. Many people die of the disease of respiratory organs. The one who makes capital out of nature, and the one who makes capital out of our body... What on earth is he?

- Official screening at Sogetsu Animation Festival

“MADE IN JAPAN”

1972, 35mm, 9:00

Direction: Renzo Kinoshita
Script: Sayoko Kinoshita, Hajime Tabe
Animation: Renzo Kinoshita and Sayoko Kinoshita
Music: Taro Saito, Akira Nakane
Producer: Sayoko Kinoshita
Production: Studio Lotus, Inc.

A short film parodying the commercialism of Japan of the 1970s. In a small room, there is a typical Japanese man. Into this room, various characters enter one after another, and describe the miniature of contemporary Japanese society: Kabuki actor, nude dancer, pollution, economic animal, Mr. Yokoi, etc...

- Grand Prix at New York International Animation Festival
- Preserved at the Film Archive of The Japan Foundation
- Permanently preserved at ASIFA Film Archive

“RYUKYU OKOKU - MADE IN OKINAWA”

2004, 35mm, 17:43

Planning/Original Story/Script/Direction: Renzo and Sayoko Kinoshita
Animation: Toshio Hirata, Sayoko Kinoshita
Music: Reijiro Koroku
Okinawa Music: Chibana Sanshin Club
Producer: Sayoko Kinoshita
Production: Studio Lotus, Inc.

An animation documentary describing the history and spirit of Okinawa (ex-Ryukyu Kingdom), the most southern island of Japan today. The history passes by a Ryukyu man laying down on the beach. In the ancient days, the time flows very slowly, and people lived in peace and calm, worshiping the nature God, the beautiful Big Dipper, the Sun and the Sea. Then, gradually, because of its being a place of strategic importance, Okinawa undergoes serious changes, visited, invaded and reigned by various countries one after another: the trade with Min (the old China), the invasion by Satsuma Clan (of old Japan, 1609) , sending missions to the old Tokyo (1710), the landing of American Admiral Perry (1853), the abolition of Ryukyu Clan and became Okinawa Prefecture (1879), the Prince of Japan visiting Okinawa (1921), and then the tragedy of the Second World War... occupation by USA... And today, the Ryukyu man is still laying down on the beach.

- Selected as an Excellent Film by the Ministry of Education of Japan
- Invited by various int’l film festivals including HIROSHIMA2004, FANTOCHE2005, KROK 2005, SICAF2005, LEIPZIG 2005, Lausanne Documentary Festival 2005, I Castelli Animati 2005, Isola Cinema Festival 2006, ZAGREB 2006, TINDRINDIS 2006, CICDAF 2006, etc...

'HOME Super J Channel: Exhibition of Posthumous Works of Renzo Kinoshita, an Animation Filmmaker,’
broadcasted on July 1997 by Hiroshima Home Television

'TV Land by Atsushi Nishida: 8.6 Special Feature: What RENZO Left Behind,’
broadcasted on August 6, 1997 by Hiroshima Home Television

'Sunday Report Hiroshima: Love and Peace, the 7th Hiroshima International Animation Festival,’
broadcasted on August 9, 1998 by Hiroshima Television Corporation

“The 18th Hiroshima International Animation Festival - HIROSHIMA 2020 Opening Title”

00:45

The opening title for Hiroshima International Animation Festival (1985 - 2020), made by Renzo Kinoshita, shown at the beginning of each program. The same opening title was used since its first edition till the final 18th edition.

“THE LAST AIR RAID - KUMAGAYA”

1993, 35mm, 28:51, Permanent screening at the Peace Museum of Saitama

Direction : Renzo Kinoshita
Original Story/ Script : Sayoko Kinoshita
Music : Reijiro Koroku
Producer： Sayoko Kinoshita
Production : Studio Lotus, Inc.

On August 14th, 1945, the night before the end of the World War II, the last air raid in Japan hit upon Kumagaya City, near Tokyo. This animation is based on the interviews with the people who experienced the Kumagaya air raid, as well as their notes and documents.

Sachiko, a 7 year old girl who lost her family by the previous air raid in Tokyo, came to Kumagaya to live with her uncle’s family. However, the next night, she again experiences another air raid in Kumagaya, and passes away... Many lives were sacrificed by this air raid, just within a few hours, and people who were saved heard the Emperor’s surrender announcement in the ruin.

- Honorary Prize at Krakow International Film Festival
- Official screenings at many international festivals including Annecy, CINANIMA, Leipzig, Hiroshima, etc.

“FRAME OF MIND”

1988, 35mm, 2:00

Direction/ Script/ Animation: Renzo Kinoshita
Music: Mikio Sato
Producer: Sayoko Kinoshita
Production: Studio Lotus, Inc.

By using Japanese traditional paper and ink, this beautiful short animation describes the author's mind:
"Though my life is occupied with every kind of daily activities, I get lost in meditation at odd short moments, and feel the calmness and relief..."