Fix-Tone (1991 | 23 min | Japan)
In the Spring Season (1992 | 41 min | Japan)
Before Doze Off (1996 | 36 min | Japan)

Akira Hoshino is the best kept secret of Japanese experimental cinema. He established the independent film group HAIRO in the early 1970s and has been active for over 50 years, but his work has only been seen by a very limited audience. In this program, EQUINOX presents three of his films on the theme of his alma mater. These works depict the melancholy and nostalgia of the vanishing in a poetic vision. The Trilogy also illustrates the unique interpretation and development of in-camera editing technique in the “personal cinema” and “new cinema” movements that emerged in Japan in the 1970s.

Born in 1948, Akira Hoshino graduated from Tama School of Art. Ever since he discovered 8mm film in the 1960s, he has been exploring the medium to develop a new personal image. In 1970, he organized the independent screening group HAIRO, and he has been working on various screenings all over Japan for more than 50 years. His main literary work “Filmmaking – An introduction to Kojin-eiga” has become a reference for independent filmmakers and played a key role in establishing the concept of “Kojin-eiga” in Japan. He served as Professor at Tama Art University from 2001 to 2017 and was jury member at Pia film festival [PFF] from 1979 to 1987. His films include Possessed by a White Shadow [憑影] (1980), The Behind Shinako [背中でしな子] (1989) and Closed Eyes [閉じた眼] (1999).