Kingdom of Dreams and Madness

Mami
Sunada

Born in 1978, Mami Sunada studied documentary filmmaking while at Keio University before apprenticing as a director’s assistant under Hirokazu Kore-eda and others. Her directorial debut, Death of a Japanese Salesman, a documentary about her father’s last days after being diagnosed with cancer, garnered numerous first-time director awards. The film’s revenue also surpassed 100 million yen at the box office, exceptional for a documentary. Awards for Death of a Japanese Salesman (partial list): 28th Fumiko Yamaji Culture Award 36th Hochi Film Award for Best New Artist 52nd Directors Guild of Japan New Directors Award 62nd Ministry of Education Geijutsu Sensho Shinjin Award Production credits (partial list): Letter from a Yellow Cherry Blossom (2002), directed by Naomi Kawase The Ichikawa Kon Story (2006), directed by Shunji Iwai Still Walking (2007), directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda Air Doll (2009), directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda ANPO (2010), directed by Linda Hoaglund

Granted rare access, acclaimed filmmaker Mami Sunada follows Studio Ghibli’s key figures—Hayao Miyazaki, Toshio Suzuki, and Isao Takahata—for a year as they race to finish The Wind Rises and The Tale of The Princess Kaguya. This feature documentary offers an intimate glimpse into the studio’s inner workings and the passion, dreams, and near-madness behind its world-renowned animation.