Japanese

Yamagata Film Criticism Workshop

Join the Yamagata Film Criticism Workshop!

[Period]
October 6 (Fri) –9 (Mon)
[Purpose]
This workshop is for people who want to gain deeper experience in discussing and writing about documentary films. Under the mentorship of an established film critic, participants will write short reviews of documentary films in the 2023 Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival program.
[Overview]
This workshop will focus on ways to think about and write about documentary films. Under the guidance of their mentor, participants will watch and discuss films in the YIDFF 2023 program, write short reviews, receive and give feedback on their writing, and prepare their work for publication on the official festival blog “DOCU-YAMA LIVE!.”
Participants will receive press passes and official catalogues of YIDFF2023.

In the workshop, we will explore such questions as: What makes film criticism effective? How important is evaluation in criticism? How should we address political, social, and ethical issues raised by documentary films?

The workshop is limited to five participants.

[To apply for the workshop, you]
  1. Should be able to participate in the film festival for four days, from October 6th to 9th.
  2. Should be willing to take part in discussions in English. Note: Fluent English is not required.
  3. Should be willing to write three short reviews in English (about 500 words) to be published by YIDFF during the workshop.
[To apply]
Send an email including the information and materials requested below to <mail@tokyo.yidff.jp> no later than Thursday, August 31. In the subject line of the email, write “Film Criticism Workshop.”
  1. Name
  2. Age
  3. Address
  4. Phone number
  5. Email address
  6. Self-introduction (education and employment history, with emphasis on your writing experience and your involvement with cinema)
  7. Sample of writing on film
[Result Notification]
Applicants will be notified of the result of their application by September 8 (Friday).
[Mentor]
Mentor: Chris Fujiwara
Chris Fujiwara is an American film critic and programmer based in Japan. He has written and edited several books on cinema, has contributed to many anthologies and journals, and has lectured widely on films and film programming. Formerly artistic director of Edinburgh International Film Festival, he has also developed film programs for many other institutions. He has organized or served as a mentor for film criticism and film programming workshops at Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival, the Berlinale, Singapore International Film Festival, Melbourne International Film Festival, the Japan Foundation Asia Center, and elsewhere.
[Inquiries]
Send an email to <mail@tokyo.yidff.jp>