The Saudi Film Festival has held a masterclass by Oscar-nominated Japanese director Koji Yamamura, according to the festival’s official website.
The 11th edition of the festival provided animation lovers with an exclusive opportunity to engage with leading global directors like Yamamura.
Titled “Giving Shape to Invisible Light,” the masterclass attracted several animation enthusiasts on Saturday, April 19.
The Japanese director and filmmaker showcased his process and offered attendees fruitful insights into his creative approach.
Yamamura started his career in creating films when he was just 13 years old. He had gained a prestigious reputation after his 10-minute 2002 film “Mt. Head” earned him an Oscar nomination in the Best Short Film category.
In this regard, Yamamura noted that most of his works were inspired by traditional tales. The challenge in such tails lies in how he fills in the space as people definitely know the beginning and end of these stories.
To encourage viewers to watch his films, Yamamura relies on both absurdity and clarity along with a Kafkaesque space.
“I’m very interested in Arabic culture. It is my first time in Saudi Arabia — I would like to sketch it. I think the landscape is very different from Japan,” Yamamura told Arab News after the session.
At the end of the masterclass, he specified some time to answer questions by moderator Naoures Rouissi of the Arab Film Festival Zurich.
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