Isao Kota

Born in 1953 in Niigata. After graduating from high school, Kota went to Tokyo to take the exam for art school. There, he was exposed to experimental films, which he had always had an interest in, and he realised he could make films himself just as he painted pictures. After acquiring 8mm equipment, he began to make his own films in 1972.

The same year, Kota presented his debut work, Far from the explosive form of fruit. From then on, over more than 20 years of filmmaking, he created 35 works in both 8mm and 16mm. For his unique approach that analyses and reveals film's underlying structure, and his meticulous films whose astonishing effect is achieved through a precise modulation of individual frames, Kota was given the nickname "alchemist of images."

Kota ceased to release new works after "Big Stone, Small Night" in 1991, when he distanced himself from the world of film and began a long hiatus.

The original films suffered degradation over time, and it was feared that it would be impossible to watch them again. However, in 2023, 34 of Kota's films that could still be screened were brought back to life through digital restoration work overseen by the filmmaker himself. That same year, 16 were shown in a special feature at Underground Cinema Festival 3, where they received a great response. In 2024, the restorations of Kota's entire catalogue were screened in various locations across Japan in the program "Isao Kota Retrospective," sparking a nationwide rediscovery and reappraisal of the filmmaker's works.

Akihiro Suzuki

Translated by Mia Parnall

居田伊佐雄

1953年新潟県生まれ。高校卒業後、1971年に美術大学受験のために上京。以前より興味を持っていた実験映画を実際に観て、画を描くように個人で映画を作ることの可能性を実感。8mm機材一式を手に入れ、1972年より個人による映画制作を始める。

　同年、デビュー作『Far from the explosive form of fruit』を発表。以降、20年あまりの活動期間の中で、8㎜、16㎜による35本の作品を制作した。映画の構造を解析し視覚化する独自のアプローチと、コマ単位の緻密な作業によって驚くべきイメージを生み出す完成度の高い作品により、“映像の錬金術師”との異名を得る。日本の実験映画を代表する作家の一人として、その作品は国内外の映画祭、特集上映、美術館などで広く公開され、高い評価を受けた。

91年の『大きな石小さな夜』を最後に新作を発表せず、映画の世界とも距離を置き、長い沈黙の時代に入った。

　オリジナル・フィルムの経年劣化の問題もあり、近年はその作品を再び観る事は困難かと思われていたが、2023年に公開可能な34作品が、作家本人による監修のもとデジタル修復されて復活。同年に開催された『UNDERGROUND CINEMA FESTIVAL 3』で16作品が特集上映され、大きな反響を呼んだ。2024年より、デジタル修復版の全作品を上映する『居田伊佐雄大回顧展』が日本各地で開催。新たな観客による再発見と再評価の機運が高まっている。