| 2024-08-16 | | | In Memoriam |
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Yano Kazuyuki on Sunday, August 11, 2024. He was the first Director of YIDFF Tokyo Office and head of film distribution company Cinematrix. We convey our condolences to all friends and colleagues who were part of his rich and vibrant life.
Yano Kazuyuki was instrumental in paving the foundations of Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival with its first edition in 1989, working in collaboration with a range of key partners and with the support of filmmaker Ogawa Shinsuke. He headed YIDFF Tokyo Office until 2007, and continued to fortify the Festival on innumerable occasions. He and his company introduced many unknown films to the world, commercially distributing films including those of Kidlat Tahimik, Robert Kramer, Pedro Costa, and Takamine Go, who were familiar friends of our festival. His true love for film, his singular vision and his action to project cinema’s value to the world will remain in people’s memories. He will be greatly missed.