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225_makingofajapanese
The Making of a Japanese

Director - Ema Ryan Yamazaki
Run Time - 99 minutes
Language - Japanese w/English subtitles
Format - Digital
Year - 2024
Genre - Documentary

Educational Interests - Adolescence, Asia, Cultural Studies, Education, New Releases

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From the director of Koshien: Japan's Field of Dreams and the Oscar-nominated Documentary Short Instruments of a Beating Heart comes a heartfelt exploration of Japanese identity as seen through the perspective of schoolchildren.

Tsukado, located in one of Tokyo's sprawling suburbs, is one of the largest public elementary schools in Japan with nearly 1,000 students. In the nation's unique educational system, children are tasked to run their own school in order to teach communal values and how to play one's role in the group. Intimately capturing one school year from the perspective of 1st and 6th graders, The Making of a Japanese has the magic of childhood with precious moments of joy, tears, and discovery – as they learn the traits necessary to become part of Japanese society.

"A warm and engaging portrait of Japanese schoolchildren. Yamazaki's empathy for her subjects makes you feel every minor triumph or setback." - Japan Times

"A moving, heartfelt exploration of Japanese identity." - Tokyo Weekender

"An excellent documentary that sheds much light on how the locals are shaped from the elementary level, as much as a testament on how the order that dominates most aspects of life in the country is instilled in them." - Asian Movie Pulse