48 years after the Osaka Expo, the Tower of the Sun, which remains a symbol of Osaka, will be the first and last documentary film about the city. "Tower of the Sun," the first and last documentary film about the Tower of the Sun, will be released nationwide from September 29th at Shinjuku Cinema Qualite, Shibuya Cine Quinto, Cine Libre Umeda, and other theaters.
©2018 "Tower of the Sun" Film Production Committee
In 1970, Japan was in the midst of rapid economic growth, and the Osaka Expo was held under the theme of "Progress and Harmony for Mankind." One particularly striking feature at the Expo was the Tower of the Sun, created by avant-garde artist Taro Okamoto. In March 2018, the internal exhibit, the "Tree of Life," was opened to the public for the first time in 48 years, and immediately became inundated with visitors wanting to see it. At one point, the website's server even crashed. With the "Tower of the Sun" exhibition scheduled for this fall, attention is once again turning to the Tower of the Sun after 48 years.
©2018 "Tower of the Sun" Film Production Committee
The artist, Taro Okamoto, first came to public attention in the 1980s with the words, "Art is an explosion!" He has an image as a celebrity who is "an eccentric beyond the understanding of ordinary people," but he was also a painter, photographer, sculptor, architect, and thinker; he was a person of such magnitude that the word "artist" hardly fits him. This film features interviews with a total of 29 people, including those who were influenced by Taro Okamoto. They discuss Taro Okamoto as a crystallization of not only art theory, but also sociology, archaeology, folklore, and philosophy, and unravel the message contained in the Tower of the Sun.
©2018 "Tower of the Sun" Film Production Committee
Director Sekine Kosai has previously worked on music videos and commercials, and has become one of Japan's leading young video creators, winning three awards at the Cannes Lions, including the Young Directors Award. This is his directorial debut for this feature-length documentary, and in this work he deliberately forgoes narration and instead uses fictional footage at times to breathe new life into the Tower of the Sun.
By exploring interviews with those involved in the Tower of the Sun's construction and experts at the time, rare footage from the Expo, the roots of Taro Okamoto, and the theme of "Myths of Tomorrow," which was produced around the same time, the film brings to light the message of the Tower of the Sun. What was Taro Okamoto's purpose in creating it? Why are people still drawn to it today? The mystery of the Tower of the Sun is now revealed.
©2018 Tower of the Sun Film Production Committee
The "Tower of the Sun" exhibition will be held at Abeno Harukas in Osaka from September 15th to November 4th. It will cover the Tower of the Sun's history from its conception to its completion and restoration project in a three-dimensional approach.
This is an opportunity to experience Taro Okamoto's sensibility on a large scale. Why not give it a try?
©2018 "Tower of the Sun" Film Production CommitteeIn 1970, Japan was in the midst of rapid economic growth, and the Osaka Expo was held under the theme of "Progress and Harmony for Mankind." One particularly striking feature at the Expo was the Tower of the Sun, created by avant-garde artist Taro Okamoto. In March 2018, the internal exhibit, the "Tree of Life," was opened to the public for the first time in 48 years, and immediately became inundated with visitors wanting to see it. At one point, the website's server even crashed. With the "Tower of the Sun" exhibition scheduled for this fall, attention is once again turning to the Tower of the Sun after 48 years.
©2018 "Tower of the Sun" Film Production CommitteeThe artist, Taro Okamoto, first came to public attention in the 1980s with the words, "Art is an explosion!" He has an image as a celebrity who is "an eccentric beyond the understanding of ordinary people," but he was also a painter, photographer, sculptor, architect, and thinker; he was a person of such magnitude that the word "artist" hardly fits him. This film features interviews with a total of 29 people, including those who were influenced by Taro Okamoto. They discuss Taro Okamoto as a crystallization of not only art theory, but also sociology, archaeology, folklore, and philosophy, and unravel the message contained in the Tower of the Sun.
©2018 "Tower of the Sun" Film Production CommitteeDirector Sekine Kosai has previously worked on music videos and commercials, and has become one of Japan's leading young video creators, winning three awards at the Cannes Lions, including the Young Directors Award. This is his directorial debut for this feature-length documentary, and in this work he deliberately forgoes narration and instead uses fictional footage at times to breathe new life into the Tower of the Sun.
By exploring interviews with those involved in the Tower of the Sun's construction and experts at the time, rare footage from the Expo, the roots of Taro Okamoto, and the theme of "Myths of Tomorrow," which was produced around the same time, the film brings to light the message of the Tower of the Sun. What was Taro Okamoto's purpose in creating it? Why are people still drawn to it today? The mystery of the Tower of the Sun is now revealed.
©2018 Tower of the Sun Film Production CommitteeThe "Tower of the Sun" exhibition will be held at Abeno Harukas in Osaka from September 15th to November 4th. It will cover the Tower of the Sun's history from its conception to its completion and restoration project in a three-dimensional approach.
This is an opportunity to experience Taro Okamoto's sensibility on a large scale. Why not give it a try?
