Shunji Iwai

Shunji Iwai (岩井 俊二, Iwai Shunji, born 24 January 1963) is a Japanese film director, video artist, writer and documentary maker.

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All About Lily Chou-Chou (2001)

Charts the troubled teenage years of students Yūichi Hasumi and Shūsuke Hoshino, exploring the shifting and complex power dynamics of their relationship against the backdrop of Yūichi's love for the dreamy and abstract music of fictional pop star Lily Chou-Chou.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shunji Iwai
CAST:  Hayato Ichihara  •  Shugo Oshinari  •  Ayumi Ito  •  Takao Osawa

Charts the troubled teenage years of students Yūichi Hasumi and Shūsuke Hoshino, exploring the shifting and complex power dynamics of their relationship against the backdrop of Yūichi's love for the dreamy and abstract music of fictional pop star Lily Chou-Chou.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shunji Iwai
CAST:  Hayato Ichihara  •  Shugo Oshinari  •  Ayumi Ito  •  Takao Osawa

April Story (1998)

In spring, a girl leaves the island of Hokkaido to attend university in Tokyo. Once there, she is asked to reveal why she wanted to go there in the first place.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shunji Iwai
CAST:  Takako Matsu  •  Seiichi Tanabe  •  Kazuhiko Kato  •  Rumi

In spring, a girl leaves the island of Hokkaido to attend university in Tokyo. Once there, she is asked to reveal why she wanted to go there in the first place.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shunji Iwai
CAST:  Takako Matsu  •  Seiichi Tanabe  •  Kazuhiko Kato  •  Rumi

Ritual (2000)

A disillusioned filmmaker has an encounter with a young girl who has a ritual of repeating "Tomorrow is my birthday" everyday. He tries to communicate with her through his video camera.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Hideaki Anno
CAST:  Shunji Iwai  •  Ayako Fujitani  •  Jun Murakami  •  Shinobu Otake

A disillusioned filmmaker has an encounter with a young girl who has a ritual of repeating "Tomorrow is my birthday" everyday. He tries to communicate with her through his video camera.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Hideaki Anno
CAST:  Shunji Iwai  •  Ayako Fujitani  •  Jun Murakami  •  Shinobu Otake

Swallowtail Butterfly (1996)

An industrial section of Japan got the name of Yentown as many immigrants come to make money and hope to go home rich. A small group of people in Yentown try to work together to survive, there is a girl named Ageha who has no family, Glico the hooker, Fei Hong a ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shunji Iwai
CAST:  Yosuke Eguchi  •  Ayumi Ito  •  Hiroshi Mikami  •  Chara

An industrial section of Japan got the name of Yentown as many immigrants come to make money and hope to go home rich. A small group of people in Yentown try to work together to survive, there is a girl named Ageha who has no family, Glico the hooker, Fei Hong a ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shunji Iwai
CAST:  Yosuke Eguchi  •  Ayumi Ito  •  Hiroshi Mikami  •  Chara

Love Letter (1995)

Hiroko attends the memorial service of her fiancé, Itsuki Fujii, who died in a mountain-climbing incident. Although Itsuki's mother says that their old house is gone, Hiroko records the address listed under his name in his yearbook and sends him a letter. ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shunji Iwai
CAST:  Miho Nakayama  •  Miki Sakai  •  Etsushi Toyokawa  •  Takashi Kashiwabara

Hiroko attends the memorial service of her fiancé, Itsuki Fujii, who died in a mountain-climbing incident. Although Itsuki's mother says that their old house is gone, Hiroko records the address listed under his name in his yearbook and sends him a letter. ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shunji Iwai
CAST:  Miho Nakayama  •  Miki Sakai  •  Etsushi Toyokawa  •  Takashi Kashiwabara

Jam Films (2002)

Jam Films is a 2002 suite of 7 shorts produced by Sega/Amuse.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yukihiko Tsutsumi  •  Shunji Iwai  •  Ryûhei Kitamura  •  Isao Yukisada  •  Tetsuo Shinohara  •  Daizaburo Hanada  •  George Iida  •  Rokuro Mochizuki
CAST:  Natsuko Akiyama  •  Hirofumi Arai  •  Haruka Ayase  •  Ryoko Hirosue

Jam Films is a 2002 suite of 7 shorts produced by Sega/Amuse.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yukihiko Tsutsumi  •  Shunji Iwai  •  Ryûhei Kitamura  •  Isao Yukisada  •  Tetsuo Shinohara  •  Daizaburo Hanada  •  George Iida  •  Rokuro Mochizuki
CAST:  Natsuko Akiyama  •  Hirofumi Arai  •  Haruka Ayase  •  Ryoko Hirosue

Vampire (2011)

A vampire, who works as a teacher, searches for suicidal female students and seduces them prior to sucking their blood.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shunji Iwai
CAST:  Kevin Zegers  •  Keisha Castle-Hughes  •  Amanda Plummer  •  Trevor Morgan

A vampire, who works as a teacher, searches for suicidal female students and seduces them prior to sucking their blood.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shunji Iwai
CAST:  Kevin Zegers  •  Keisha Castle-Hughes  •  Amanda Plummer  •  Trevor Morgan

Fried Dragon Fish (1993)

A dragon fish is stolen by Tetsu Tobiyama and biologist Thomas Earwing seeks its return. Poo is led to Natsuro after she worms her way into a top secret file at Delta headquarters for information.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shunji Iwai
CAST:  Miyoko Yoshimoto  •  Tadanobu Asano  •  Hiroshi Ohguchi  •  Hajime Yamazaki

A dragon fish is stolen by Tetsu Tobiyama and biologist Thomas Earwing seeks its return. Poo is led to Natsuro after she worms her way into a top secret file at Delta headquarters for information.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shunji Iwai
CAST:  Miyoko Yoshimoto  •  Tadanobu Asano  •  Hiroshi Ohguchi  •  Hajime Yamazaki

Friends After 3.11 劇場版 (2011)

In March 2011, Japan was struck by a catastrophic earthquake, with the devastating tsunami that followed causing a meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear power station that sent ripples of discontent throughout the country. Director Iwai Shunji's Friends after 3.11 ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shunji Iwai
CAST:  Eriko Kitagawa  •  Miyuki Matsuda  •  Tarō Yamamoto  •  Takeshi Kobayashi

In March 2011, Japan was struck by a catastrophic earthquake, with the devastating tsunami that followed causing a meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear power station that sent ripples of discontent throughout the country. Director Iwai Shunji's Friends after 3.11 ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shunji Iwai
CAST:  Eriko Kitagawa  •  Miyuki Matsuda  •  Tarō Yamamoto  •  Takeshi Kobayashi

Undo (1994)

Moemi is not overly pleased when Yukio brings home a couple of turtles to keep her company. Although Yukio works at home as a writer, Moemi feels neglected and desired a dog or a cat, but neither is allowed in their apartment.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shunji Iwai
CAST:  Etsushi Toyokawa  •  Tomoko Yamaguchi  •  Tomorowo Taguchi

Moemi is not overly pleased when Yukio brings home a couple of turtles to keep her company. Although Yukio works at home as a writer, Moemi feels neglected and desired a dog or a cat, but neither is allowed in their apartment.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shunji Iwai
CAST:  Etsushi Toyokawa  •  Tomoko Yamaguchi  •  Tomorowo Taguchi

New York, I Love You (2008)

New York, I Love You delves into the intimate lives of New Yorkers as they grapple with, delight in and search for love. Journey from the Diamond District in the heart of Manhattan, through Chinatown and the Upper East Side, towards the Village, into Tribeca, and ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Natalie Portman  •  Brett Ratner  •  Shunji Iwai  •  Yvan Attal  •  Shekhar Kapur  •  Allen Hughes  •  Mira Nair  •  Fatih Akin  •  Joshua Marston  •  Randall Balsmeyer  •  Jiang Wen
CAST:  Natalie Portman  •  Shia LaBeouf  •  Orlando Bloom  •  Christina Ricci

New York, I Love You delves into the intimate lives of New Yorkers as they grapple with, delight in and search for love. Journey from the Diamond District in the heart of Manhattan, through Chinatown and the Upper East Side, towards the Village, into Tribeca, and ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Natalie Portman  •  Brett Ratner  •  Shunji Iwai  •  Yvan Attal  •  Shekhar Kapur  •  Allen Hughes  •  Mira Nair  •  Fatih Akin  •  Joshua Marston  •  Randall Balsmeyer  •  Jiang Wen
CAST:  Natalie Portman  •  Shia LaBeouf  •  Orlando Bloom  •  Christina Ricci

A Bride for Rip Van Winkle (2016)

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A woman hires actors and strangers to pretend to be her friends and family at her wedding.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shunji Iwai
CAST:  Haru Kuroki  •  Go Ayano  •  Cocco  •  Go Jibiki

A woman hires actors and strangers to pretend to be her friends and family at her wedding.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shunji Iwai
CAST:  Haru Kuroki  •  Go Ayano  •  Cocco  •  Go Jibiki

The Case of Hana & Alice (2015)

Tetsuko "Alice" Arisugawa has just moved to a new house with her recently divorced mother and enrolled at a school where a strange rumor lingers among the students about "Judas," who is said to have been murdered over a year before. She is told that if anybody ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shunji Iwai
CAST:  Yu Aoi  •  Anne Suzuki  •  Shoko Aida  •  Ranran Suzuki

Tetsuko "Alice" Arisugawa has just moved to a new house with her recently divorced mother and enrolled at a school where a strange rumor lingers among the students about "Judas," who is said to have been murdered over a year before. She is told that if anybody ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shunji Iwai
CAST:  Yu Aoi  •  Anne Suzuki  •  Shoko Aida  •  Ranran Suzuki

Arita (2002)

ARITA is a short film told in pictures and in small moments. It is about a girl whose first friend is a small drawing named Arita, a cute nosed endearment she found everywhere. From her notebooks to her illustrations and school supplies, Arita appeared silently and ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shunji Iwai
CAST:  Ryoko Hirosue

ARITA is a short film told in pictures and in small moments. It is about a girl whose first friend is a small drawing named Arita, a cute nosed endearment she found everywhere. From her notebooks to her illustrations and school supplies, Arita appeared silently and ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shunji Iwai
CAST:  Ryoko Hirosue

Chang-ok's Letter (2017)

Housewife Eun-ha is busy every day: In addition to taking care of her husband who doesn’t help out at all and her willful daughter and son, she has to care for her nagging mother-in-law, who is nearly bedridden.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shunji Iwai
CAST:  Bae Doona  •  Kim Joo-hyuk  •  Lee Joo-sil  •  Shin Eun-soo

Housewife Eun-ha is busy every day: In addition to taking care of her husband who doesn’t help out at all and her willful daughter and son, she has to care for her nagging mother-in-law, who is nearly bedridden.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shunji Iwai
CAST:  Bae Doona  •  Kim Joo-hyuk  •  Lee Joo-sil  •  Shin Eun-soo

Last Letter (2018)

All Yuan Zhinan has left behind when she passed away is a letter and an invitation to a school reunion. Attending the reunion in lieu of her late elder sister, Zhihua accidentally runs into Yin Chuan, on whom she had a crush in her youth. As old memories are evoked ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shunji Iwai
CAST:  Zhou Xun  •  Zhang Zifeng  •  Wu Yanshu  •  Du Jiang

All Yuan Zhinan has left behind when she passed away is a letter and an invitation to a school reunion. Attending the reunion in lieu of her late elder sister, Zhihua accidentally runs into Yin Chuan, on whom she had a crush in her youth. As old memories are evoked ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shunji Iwai
CAST:  Zhou Xun  •  Zhang Zifeng  •  Wu Yanshu  •  Du Jiang

Last Letter (2020)

It is only at their sister's and mother's funeral when a woman meets her niece after many years. The niece is now a grown girl. The sister takes on the task of informing the deceased's friends of the death while the daughter cannot bring herself to symbolically ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shunji Iwai
CAST:  Takako Matsu  •  Masaharu Fukuyama  •  Hideaki Anno  •  Suzu Hirose

It is only at their sister's and mother's funeral when a woman meets her niece after many years. The niece is now a grown girl. The sister takes on the task of informing the deceased's friends of the death while the daughter cannot bring herself to symbolically ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shunji Iwai
CAST:  Takako Matsu  •  Masaharu Fukuyama  •  Hideaki Anno  •  Suzu Hirose

The Man Who Came To Kill (1991)

A professional hitman comes to kill a man as his final job. He manages to shoot him to death, but when he is leaving the house, the man he killed shows up again.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shunji Iwai
CAST:  Shirō Shimomoto  •  Yoshihisa Komiya

A professional hitman comes to kill a man as his final job. He manages to shoot him to death, but when he is leaving the house, the man he killed shows up again.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shunji Iwai
CAST:  Shirō Shimomoto  •  Yoshihisa Komiya

Canned Crab (1992)

A man has a can of crab stolen from him.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shunji Iwai
CAST:  Junji Takada  •  Ryo Iwamatsu  •  Toshiya Sakai

A man has a can of crab stolen from him.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shunji Iwai
CAST:  Junji Takada  •  Ryo Iwamatsu  •  Toshiya Sakai

Maria (1992)

A film about a pregnancy  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shunji Iwai
CAST:  Tomoko Nakajima  •  Shinji Asakura  •  Shinichi Iijima  •  Teruo Horiuchi

A film about a pregnancy  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shunji Iwai
CAST:  Tomoko Nakajima  •  Shinji Asakura  •  Shinichi Iijima  •  Teruo Horiuchi
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