Why I Make Documentaries

On the occasion of documentarist filmmaker Kazuhiro Soda’s new movie premiere at Berlinale Forum (“The Cats of Gokogu Shrine,” 2024, Laboratory X Inc.), the director will present his book “Why I Make Documentaries” (Viaindustriae Publishing, 2023), in dialogue with the curator of the publication, Silvio Grasselli, and the publisher Alice Mazzarella (Viaindustriae). They will discuss Soda’s observational filmmaking practice with a focus on his relationship with writing and books.

The word “observational” is strictly related to Soda’s belief that looking and listening carefully are the most important things when it comes to making documentaries. This specific vision led the director to the development of the “10 commandments,” a set of 10 rules that prohibit him from doing pre-shoot research or writing a script, among other things. Through his 10 commandments, Soda pushes conventions and preconceptions aside and makes films by carefully looking and listening to the reality in front of him. Furthermore, he does not use explanatory narration, on-screen titles, or music, in an attempt to allow viewers to carefully look and listen to what’s unfolding on screen.

The discussion will be alternated with the screening of some scenes from previous films.