Shunji Iwai

Directing

Shunji Iwai

Born 1963-01-24 · Sendai, Miyagi, Japan

Shunji Iwai (岩井 俊二, Iwai Shunji, born 24 January 1963) is a Japanese film director, video artist, writer and documentary maker.

Acting credits

Ritual poster
7.7

A disillusioned filmmaker has an encounter with a young woman who has a ritual of repeating "Tomorrow is my birthday" everyday. He tries to communicate with her through his video camera.

Ritual

2000

Lily, I am crying poster
NR

A documentary about actress and singer-songwriter Lily, who passed away in 2016 at the age of 64. The theatrical version combines live footage of "Lily + Hiroshi" recorded between 2013 and 2015 by Takama Kenji, cinematographer of "Radio Time," with additional interview footage of guests who had connections with Lily. Starring Lily, Saito Hiroshi, Takahashi Kazuya from "Between the White Keys and the Black Keys," Negishi Toki from "At the Bus Stop Until Dawn," Toyokawa Etsushi who co-starred with Lily in the 1997 TV drama "The Blue Bird," and Iwai Shunji, director of "The Bride of Rip Van Winkle," in which Lily starred.

Lily, I am crying

2024

From the End of the World poster
6.7

Hana, a high school student who lost her parents in an accident, does not fit in at school and cannot find any reason to live. Suddenly one day, a man claiming to be from a special government organization visits her and asks her to tell him about a dream she had. Hana is confused and has no idea what is happening, but that night she has a strange dream.

From the End of the World

2023

All About "All About Lily Chou-Chou" poster
4.7

The making of 'All About Lily Chou-Chou' starting from its conception as an interactive story that played out on a BBS

All About "All About Lily Chou-Chou"

2002

Ribbon poster
7.3

The year is 2020, the middle of the corona crisis. Art student Itsuka has her graduation exhibition canceled and must take home the piece which she had been working on for a year. In a whirlpool of emotions she clashes with her worried parents, her little sister overreacts to the virus and even her usually calm friend Hirai starts to build up frustration. In the middle of all that, she re-unites with Tanaka, who gave her the opportunity to absorb herself in painting, clashes with Hirai over their true feelings and tries to face her own future.

Ribbon

2022

Filming H&A poster
NR

Behind the scenes documentary about the filming of "Hana & Alice", which began as a series of shorts promoting Kit Kat

Filming H&A

2005

The Railway and the Girl poster
NR

The short film shot within the movie "Ritual" (2000)

The Railway and the Girl

2003

円都 YEN TOWN poster
NR

Making-of documentary for Swallowtail Butterfly

円都 YEN TOWN

1996

Once upon a time returning to my hometown poster
6.5

Extra, behind scenes from Hideaki Anno's film Ritual (also known as Shiki-Jitsu).

Once upon a time returning to my hometown

2003

Anno-san and Our Reckless Challenge: Japan Animator Expo poster
6.0

A documentary about Hideaki Anno's project, Japan Animator Expo.

Anno-san and Our Reckless Challenge: Japan Animator Expo

2015

ZARD yo Eien nare Sakai Izumi no Uta wa Kou Umareta poster
NR

No synopsis available yet.

ZARD yo Eien nare Sakai Izumi no Uta wa Kou Umareta

2019

M.B. MOVIE poster
5.0

At the beginning of the film, the filmmaker begins to talk to the camera. I don't know what kind of film I'm going to make, but I'm going to make it. The camera is set up in a room. He moves into a bigger room and tries to capture more of his everyday life, but eventually, he gets tired of playing with the camera alone and enlists three of his friends to join him in making three dramas. The filmmaker insists on showing a naked woman in the film, but before he can make up his mind, the camera returns to his room, where he struggles to make a film, and, unable to process it as his own expression, he calmly accepts his awkwardness. In this way, the audience can see the growth of the artist. In this two-hour film, the audience experiences unique complicity with the artist's growth.

M.B. MOVIE

1987

Behind the camera

All About Lily Chou-Chou poster
7.5

Charts the troubled teenage years of students Yūichi Hasumi and Shūsuke Hoshino, exploring the shifting and complex power dynamics of their relationship against the backdrop of Yūichi's love for the dreamy and abstract music of pop star Lily Chou-Chou.

All About Lily Chou-Chou

2001

All About Lily Chou-Chou poster
7.5

Charts the troubled teenage years of students Yūichi Hasumi and Shūsuke Hoshino, exploring the shifting and complex power dynamics of their relationship against the backdrop of Yūichi's love for the dreamy and abstract music of pop star Lily Chou-Chou.

All About Lily Chou-Chou

2001

New York, I Love You poster
6.0

New York, I Love You delves into the intimate lives of New Yorkers as they grapple with, delight in and search for love. Journey from the Diamond District in the heart of Manhattan, through Chinatown and the Upper East Side, towards the Village, into Tribeca, and Brooklyn as lovers of all ages try to find romance in the Big Apple.

New York, I Love You

2008

New York, I Love You poster
6.0

New York, I Love You delves into the intimate lives of New Yorkers as they grapple with, delight in and search for love. Journey from the Diamond District in the heart of Manhattan, through Chinatown and the Upper East Side, towards the Village, into Tribeca, and Brooklyn as lovers of all ages try to find romance in the Big Apple.

New York, I Love You

2008

Love Letter poster
7.8

Hiroko attends the memorial service of her fiancé, Itsuki Fujii, who died in a mountain-climbing incident. Although Itsuki's mother says that their old house is gone, Hiroko records the address listed under his name in his yearbook and sends him a letter. Surprisingly, she receives a reply, and discovers it came from his old classmate, a girl who also happens to be called Itsuki Fujii.

Love Letter

1995

Love Letter poster
7.8

Hiroko attends the memorial service of her fiancé, Itsuki Fujii, who died in a mountain-climbing incident. Although Itsuki's mother says that their old house is gone, Hiroko records the address listed under his name in his yearbook and sends him a letter. Surprisingly, she receives a reply, and discovers it came from his old classmate, a girl who also happens to be called Itsuki Fujii.

Love Letter

1995

Swallowtail Butterfly poster
7.5

The struggles of a group of outcasts living in "Yentown", in an alternate-future Japan.

Swallowtail Butterfly

1996

Swallowtail Butterfly poster
7.5

The struggles of a group of outcasts living in "Yentown", in an alternate-future Japan.

Swallowtail Butterfly

1996

The Case of Hana & Alice poster
7.3

After transferring to Ishinomori Middle School, Tetsuko "Alice" Arisugawa overhears her classmates discussing a strange rumor. The previous occupant of her seat, a nondescript "Judas," is missing and presumed murdered. Amidst dealing with her mother's undesired meddling in her affairs and warding off her classmates' bullying, the troubled Alice starts to investigate the mystery surrounding Judas' disappearance. The trail of clues leads her to the house of her next-door neighbor, the quirky and reclusive Hana Arai.

The Case of Hana & Alice

2015

The Case of Hana & Alice poster
7.3

After transferring to Ishinomori Middle School, Tetsuko "Alice" Arisugawa overhears her classmates discussing a strange rumor. The previous occupant of her seat, a nondescript "Judas," is missing and presumed murdered. Amidst dealing with her mother's undesired meddling in her affairs and warding off her classmates' bullying, the troubled Alice starts to investigate the mystery surrounding Judas' disappearance. The trail of clues leads her to the house of her next-door neighbor, the quirky and reclusive Hana Arai.

The Case of Hana & Alice

2015

The Case of Hana & Alice poster
7.3

After transferring to Ishinomori Middle School, Tetsuko "Alice" Arisugawa overhears her classmates discussing a strange rumor. The previous occupant of her seat, a nondescript "Judas," is missing and presumed murdered. Amidst dealing with her mother's undesired meddling in her affairs and warding off her classmates' bullying, the troubled Alice starts to investigate the mystery surrounding Judas' disappearance. The trail of clues leads her to the house of her next-door neighbor, the quirky and reclusive Hana Arai.

The Case of Hana & Alice

2015

April Story poster
7.1

In spring, a girl leaves the island of Hokkaido to attend university in Tokyo. Once there, she is asked to reveal why she wanted to go there in the first place.

April Story

1998

April Story poster
7.1

In spring, a girl leaves the island of Hokkaido to attend university in Tokyo. Once there, she is asked to reveal why she wanted to go there in the first place.

April Story

1998

Fireworks, Should We See It from the Side or the Bottom? poster
7.0

One summer day, a group of sixth-grade boys have an argument about whether fireworks are round or flat when viewed from different angles and embark on a journey for the answer during the annual firework festival. Meanwhile, one of their classmates, Nazuna, is troubled by her parents' separation and decides to choose one of the boys to run away with.

Fireworks, Should We See It from the Side or the Bottom?

1993

Fireworks, Should We See It from the Side or the Bottom? poster
7.0

One summer day, a group of sixth-grade boys have an argument about whether fireworks are round or flat when viewed from different angles and embark on a journey for the answer during the annual firework festival. Meanwhile, one of their classmates, Nazuna, is troubled by her parents' separation and decides to choose one of the boys to run away with.

Fireworks, Should We See It from the Side or the Bottom?

1993

Last Letter poster
7.0

It is only at their sister's and mother's funeral when a woman meets her niece after many years. The niece is now a grown girl. The sister takes on the task of informing the deceased's friends of the death while the daughter cannot bring herself to symbolically accept the demise of her mother. In the midst of all this an old flame messages the sister to say he is still in love with her, but is he messaging the living sister or the dead one?

Last Letter

2020

Last Letter poster
7.0

It is only at their sister's and mother's funeral when a woman meets her niece after many years. The niece is now a grown girl. The sister takes on the task of informing the deceased's friends of the death while the daughter cannot bring herself to symbolically accept the demise of her mother. In the midst of all this an old flame messages the sister to say he is still in love with her, but is he messaging the living sister or the dead one?

Last Letter

2020

Picnic poster
6.8

Believing that the world will end that very day, three mental patients Coco, Tsumuji, and Satoru set out upon a journey. Walking upon the tops of the walls of the city, they seek to find a picnic spot with the best vantage point to view the final event.

Picnic

1996

Picnic poster
6.8

Believing that the world will end that very day, three mental patients Coco, Tsumuji, and Satoru set out upon a journey. Walking upon the tops of the walls of the city, they seek to find a picnic spot with the best vantage point to view the final event.

Picnic

1996

Hana & Alice poster
7.0

Two teenage best pals attracted to the same boy end up scrambling his life after he walks into a door and is knocked unconscious.

Hana & Alice

2004

Hana & Alice poster
7.0

Two teenage best pals attracted to the same boy end up scrambling his life after he walks into a door and is knocked unconscious.

Hana & Alice

2004

Hana & Alice poster
7.0

Two teenage best pals attracted to the same boy end up scrambling his life after he walks into a door and is knocked unconscious.

Hana & Alice

2004

Jam Films poster
7.9

Jam Films is a 2002 suite of 7 shorts produced by Sega/Amuse.

Jam Films

2002

Jam Films poster
7.9

Jam Films is a 2002 suite of 7 shorts produced by Sega/Amuse.

Jam Films

2002