FESTIVAL GUESTS

The East Asia Film Festival Ireland brings key film talents from East Asia to Irish audiences whether this is through our cinema screenings, commissioned online interviews or hosting in-person visits. 

We are delighted to welcome Japanese documentary filmmaker Kazuhiro Soda who will take part in a series of talks and screenings in collaboration with four Irish universities, and share an In-Conversation event on producing independent cinema in a globalised environment. This conversation will be shared with another guest of the festival, Taiwanese producer, Chuti Chang, and it will be moderated by Irish film and television producer, Edwina Forkin.

Kazuhiro Soda will also participate in a Q&A session moderated by Dr. Tony Tracy following the Irish premiere screening of his fascinating new documentary, The Cats of Gokogu Shrine, our opening film on Thursday 7 March.

Taiwanese producer Chuti Chang will be with us to introduce the screenings of the wonderful Taiwanese New Wave director Edward Yang (1947–2007) as part of our EDWARD YANG FOCUS presenting four rarely screened works in 2K and 4K restorations.

KAZUHIRO SODA is an award-winning Japanese independent director, screenwriter, cinematographer, producer, author.

Born in Ashikaga, Tochigi, Japan in 1970, he studied Religion at Tokyo University and completed a degree in Film Studies at the School of Visual Arts in New York. He spent many years in New York as correspondent producing documentaries for NHK, the biggest national broadcaster in his native Japan, before directing his first ‘Observational Film’, CAMPAIGN (2007) which follows the election campaign of an old schoolmate, Kazuhiko Yamauchi, a political newcomer running for the local office for the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). CAMPAIGN won the Peabody Award for Best Documentary.

Kazuhiro Soda practices an observational method of documentary filmmaking based on his own 'Ten Commandments' which prohibits him from doing pre-shoot research or writing a synopsis before filming. He imposes these rules on himself in order to minimise preconceptions and to make unexpected discoveries while filming and editing.

Besides making films, Kazuhiro Soda also writes non-fiction books and articles for film magazines. He is also a recipient of the Marek Nowicki lifetime achievement prize awarded by the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights.

Filmography: CAMPAIGN (Observational Film #1, Documentary Peabody Award 2007); MENTAL (Observational Film #2, Best Documentary Busan International Film Festival 2008); PEACE (Observational Film Extra, Best Documentary, Hong Kong International Film Festival 2010); THEATRE 1 (Observational Film #3, Young Jury’s Prize, Festival des 3 Continents 2012); THEATRE 2 (Observational Film #4, Young Jury’s Prize, Festival des 3 Continents 2012) ; CAMPAIGN 2 (Observational Film #5, Cinéma du Réel, MoMA Documentary Fortnight 2013); OYSTER FACTORY (Observational Film #6, Locarno International Film Festival, Fuori Concorso 2015); INLAND SEA (Observational Film #7, Berlinale Forum 2018); THE BIG HOUSE (Observational Film #8, Berlin Critics’ Week 2018); ZERO (Observational Film #9, Ecumenical Prize, Berlin International Film Festival 2020); THE CATS OF GOKOGU SHRINE (Observational Film #10, Berlinale Forum 2024)

CHUTI CHANG is an independent film producer from Taiwan.

From 2000 to 2019, she worked as an international coordinator and producer with 3H Productions, helmed by the legendary Hou Hsiao-Hsien. Now working with Volos Films, Chuti has produced notable films including FAR AWAY EYES (2021), A HOLY FAMILY (2022) and THE SETTLERS (2023), and is involved in developing several upcoming projects. In 2017, she received the prize as the most promising young producer at the Chinese Generation Film Forum.

IN-CONVERSATION EVENT

TUE 5 MAR, 6.30-7.30PM, IFI DUBLIN

KAZUHIRO SODA, CHUTI CHANG IN CONVERSATION WITH EDWINA FORKIN: ‘Producing independent cinema in a globalised environment’

This event is organised with the support of Screen Ireland and Cultural & Creative Industries Skillnet.

Edwina Forkin is an Irish film and television producer.

She is the main producer at Zanzibar Films founded in 1998, an Irish production company which specialises in international co-productions, logistics and legal issues, as well as organising budgeting, funding and production scheduling.  With more than 20 years of production experience under her belt, Forkin has produced over 41 award winning film and TV productions. She is also a partner of Nantosuelta Entertainment Films, founded in 2017 – an Irish Production Company offering finance to foreign filmmakers. Forkin is best known for producing SWANSONG - the story of Occi Byrne (2010) six IFTA nominations - Winner of Best Actor - IFTA 2011; SANCTUARY (2016) - WINNER FIRST BEST FEATURE GALWAY FILM FLEADH, Michael Dwyer Discovery Award - Audi Dublin International Film Festival and Best Director - Newport Beach International Film Festival, Malta International Film Festival - Best Story and Austrian International Film Festival - Best Film (2017) Penance/AITHRI - (2017) and ROYALLY EVER AFTER (2018). CAMBODIAN SPRING (2016) a feature documentary of Chris Kelly. JURY WINNER OF HOT DOCS - TORONTO 2017 and BROOKLYN FILM FESTIVAL 2017. She is currently producing a number of projects.