JFF: The Making of a Japanese

CLUB 18+99 min

Synopsis

Ema Ryan Yamazaki’s delightful documentary follows two sets of students - first graders and sixth graders - over the course of a year in a Tokyo public elementary school. Filmed during the peak of the pandemic, this is a rich portrait of the ups and downs of a formative time in the lives of these young kids and their teachers. For Irish audiences, Ryan Yamazaki’s focus on the ethos of school life in Japan will be of particular interest - while many of the experiences portrayed are universal, this offers an invaluable glimpse into what sets the Japanese approach to education apart.