TV Documentaries Produced by Local Yamagata TV Stations
A special series to watch documentaries produced by Yamagata TV stations on the big screen. Usually, documentaries from one station at a time are introduced at the Film Library’s Friday screenings, but this time, a special edition for the film festival! We will screen documentaries from four Yamagata TV stations all at once! We will share the experience of directly engaging with the programs as they are projected large on the cinema screen.
YBC
The Three Shonais: The Land of Dreams for Outsiders
(Mittsume no shonai: Yokeimonnotachi no yume no kuni)
2022 / 46 min
Director, Producer: Miura Shigeyuki
Photography: Saito Yuki
Narration: Matsumoto Kousei
In the village of Rokkasho in Aomori Prefecture, there is a settlement called Shonai. There is also a place called Tenpoku no Shonai on the Sarobetsu Plain in Hokkaido. These areas were developed through much hardship by people who had left the Shonai region of Yamagata Prefecture for Manchuria with the aim of establishing a second Shonai there, only to return to Japan after the war. This documentary traces the paths of these settlers who persevered in their search for a place to live despite being treated as unwanted. Winner of a Grand Prix from the Japan Commercial Broadcasters Association.
Dekunobo: War and PTSD
(Dekunobo: Senso to PTSD)
2023 / 46 min
Director, Photography: Ito Tsubasa
Producer: Yuki Yoshinori
Narration: Futamata Issei
Kuroi Akio, from Tsuruoka City, was never able to respect his late father Keijiro—his blank stare, inability to hold a regular job, and lack of communication with his family. At least not until he understood that his spirit had been broken by the war. This documentary delves into memories of the cruel war zone that broke a soldier, through testimony from members of his still suffering family, as well as surviving medical records.
YTS
“150 Years of Cherry Cultivation”: The Ruby-like Treasures that Connect with the Future
(Ruby iro no hokori: Mirai ni tsunagu “Sakuranbo 150 nen”)
2025 / 46 min
Director: Araki Takumi
Producer: Akiba Kazuhiro
In 2025, Yamagata’s proud tradition of cherry cultivation marks one hundred and fifty years of history. With a look back at the history of this “Cherry Kingdom,” actress and TV personality Hashimoto Manami examines the looming threat of climate change that faces cherry producers and the determination of those Yamagata people striving to carry this local pride into the future.
Do We Go against the Times?: The Two “Nohs” of Kurokawa
(Jidai no nami ni aragaemasuka: Kurokawa noh noh monogatari)
2025 / 46 min
Director: Sagae Toru
Executive Producers: Goto Keibun, Kurosu Hideyuki
Kurokawa Noh is a tradition that has been passed down for over five hundred years in Tsuruoka, Yamagata. Generations of local farmers have observed the ritual, which is also known by the name Shinji Noh, but the falling birthrate and aging population have thrown its prospects for survival into doubt. There is also a serious shortage of heirs to farming households that carry on the Noh tradition. This documentary follows the performers who strive to preserve the traditions of both Noh and agriculture, if by different means.
TUY
A Natural Look: 900 Days with a “Gal” in a Wheelchair
(Suppin de: Kurumaisu gyaru no 900 nichi)
2021 / 47 min
Director: Watanabe Takuma
Producer: Sato Hiroshi
An accident in 2018 when she was doing re-roofing work left Shibutani Mako reliant on a wheelchair. She soon realized how little information was available for wheelchair users. Yet she wants people to know that having a disability does not equal being unhappy. This documentary follows her as she shares her experience on YouTube in an exploration of the possibilities for what she can do in her search to give hope to others.
In Love with Baseball! Another Story: 1100 Days with the Seizan High School Girl’s Hardball Baseball Club
(Yakyu ni koi shite! Another story: Seizan koko joshi koshiki yakyubu no 1100 nichi)
2025 / 50 min
Director: Ito Fumiaki
Producer: Sato Yoshiki
Founded in spring 2022, the Seizan High School Girls’ Hardball Baseball Club was the first of its kind in Yamagata. Smiles overflowing with joy at playing baseball, days of defeat, emotional clashes—through it all, the camera keeps rolling. What did they learn from baseball, and how will it shape the rest of their lives?
SAY
45 Years of Overtures: Challenges of the Yamagata Symphony Orchestra
(45 nenme no jokyoku: Yamagata kokyo gakudan no chosen)
2017 / 46 min
Director: Saito Yasuhiro
Producer: Kimura Naomi
This documentary program follows the Yamagata Symphony Orchestra, the only professional orchestra in the prefecture. It captures the passion of the members bringing musical emotion to their hometown, and their efforts to overcome the difficult financial conditions facing regional orchestras through active reform.
The Ruptured Railway: The Resolution Needed to Restore the Yonesaka Line
(Togireta tetsuro: Yonesaka sen fukkyu he hitsuyo na kakugo)
2025 / 46 min
Director: Matsumoto Kaname
Producer: Sato Takeshi
Japan Railway’s Yonesaka Line was damaged by heavy rainfall in 2022 and remains out of service. Because repair work would involve huge costs and long construction schedules, the East Japan Railway Company has announced that restoring this line alone would be difficult. Even if it were repaired, there is the question of how this unprofitable line would be maintained into the future. This documentary explores the problems confronting the local communities aiming to restore the railway.