SKIP CITY Selection
Tales of the Foundry Country Part I: Time of Water / Part II: Time of Fire
- Onsite
- 7.19 (Sat) 11:00 Audio Visual Hall
©いもの国風土記をつくる会
Director: Yukinori KUROKAWA, Fumika INOUE
2022, 2023 / Japan / 31min., 56min. (Total 87min.)
Kawaguchi City has a long history of prosperity as a center of metal casting. Artist Fumika Inoue, who was raised in this city, has collaborated with internationally acclaimed director Yukinori Kurokawa to create this documentary, which focuses on Fuji Industrial, a foundry still operating in the city’s industrial district of Ryoke. Part one, “Time of Water”, unravels the history of the foundry built along the Shiba River, a tributary of the Arakawa River, through an interview with the company’s fourth president Junichi Irino. In part two, “Time of Fire”, the camera turns into an alleyway and into the foundry, capturing the craft of modern-day ironworkers. Inspired by Inoue’s picture book depicting her childhood memories, this film weaves together stories of the foundry town’s past and present through its people, their words, photographs, and the artist’s illustrations of scenes from the past.
Director: Yukinori KUROKAWA
Born in Mie Prefecture in 1970, Yukinori Kurokawa, a fan of Charlie Chaplin, began making 8mm films at an early age. He made his directorial debut with the pink film Inran Seiho no Onna (97). His independently produced film VILLAGE ON THE VILLAGE (16) received critical acclaim. GARDEN SANDBOX (22), which was shot in Ryoke in Kawaguchi City (the same location as this documentary), was submitted to the Films In Competition category at the FID Marseille International Film Festival. Kurokawa also participates in screenings and event planning at Kinokoya, a cinema bar in Tama City.
Director: Fumika INOUE
Born in Tokyo in 1971 and raised in Saitama, Fumika Inoue is an illustrator also known as Sen Arai, a monochrome pen artist. Her picture books include “Good Weather” (Fukuinkan Shoten) and “Cloudy Cloudy Bakery” (Iwasaki Shoten). After creating a picture book titled “Blue Time” in which she drew scenes from her childhood, she began researching the foundries of Ryoke in Kawaguchi City where she lived as a child, and collaborated with director Yukinori Kurokawa on her first film project. Inoue continues to explore this subject through producing paintings, photography books, and artistic objects.
