Kawamoto the Puppet Master
A season of screenings celebrating the work of Kihachirō Kawamoto, Japanese puppeteer, animator, and director.
Kihachirō Kawamoto is a Japanese puppeteer, animator, and director who made a number of independent films, including many short films. His films, many of which employ detailed stop motion puppet animation, have been showcased in exhibitions around the globe.
Kawamoto’s stop motion puppetry techniques were influenced by European practices, especially the works of Czech animator, Jiří Trnka, under whose tutelage he studied puppet animation. Kawamoto’s aesthetic is deeply rooted in Japanese folklore and philosophy, and also draws from Japan’s rich theatrical tradition.
In March 2008, Watershed produced Kawamoto the Puppet Master – a programme of films and talks celebrating Kawamoto’s work. Programmed by Japanese film expert Jasper Sharp (co-founder of the specialist Japanese film website midnighteye.com), the season included the UK premiere of Kawamoto’s feature film The Book of the Dead (2005) and subsequently toured a number of UK venues, offering a rare chance for audiences to discover Kawamoto's unique body of work.
Ended in March 2008