Ubuyu (First Bath)

Short film of an infant's first bath based on footage found in an antique shop in Japan. The material dates from the early-to-mid Showa era, a period marked by the disastrous consequences of war. Completed during the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Japan, the film invites poetic reflection on the fragility of peace. Music by Tomoko Sauvage, who creates harmonies using bowls of water and hydro-microphones.

  • Michael Lyons
    Director
  • Michael Lyons
    Producer
  • Tomoko Sauvage
    Composer
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Experimental, Short, Other
  • Genres:
    Experimental, Art, Found Footage
  • Runtime:
    6 minutes 20 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    August 15, 2015
  • Country of Origin:
    Japan
  • Country of Filming:
    Japan
  • Shooting Format:
    8mm
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Black & White
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Living Arts vol. 27, UrbanGuild
    Kyoto
    Japan
    December 4, 2015
    World Premiere
  • Short Movie Club
    Minsk
    Belarus
    European Premiere
  • Staunton International Film Festival
    Staunton, VI
    United States
    North American Premiere
  • Golden Reel International Underground Film Festival
    Ulaan Baatar
    Mongolia
    Mongolian Premiere
  • Salón Internacional de la Luz
    Bogotá
    Colombia
    South American Premiere
  • Antimatter [Media Art]
    Victoria
    Canada
    Canadian Premiere
  • Jornadas de Reapropiación
    Mexico City
    Mexico
    Mexican Premiere
  • Norwich Radical Film Festival,
    Norwich
    United Kingdom
    UK Premiere
  • 16th Festival Images Contre Nature
    Marseille
    France
    French Premiere
  • El Festivalico Muestra de Cortometrajes y Videarte
    Caravaca
    Spain
    Spanish Premiere
  • La Mida no Importa
    Barcelona
    Spain
    January 27, 2017
    Catalan
  • CÓDEC Festival de Video y Creaciones Sonoras
    Mexico City
    Mexico
Director Biography - Michael Lyons

Michael Lyons is a researcher and artist based in Kyoto, Japan. He is currently Professor of Image Arts and Sciences at Ritsumeikan University.

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Director Statement

In the Spring of 2015, I happened to find a discarded home movie in a rusty metal can in an antiques shop in Kyoto, Japan. Shot on regular 8mm film the film depicts the first bath of a young infant, probably one or two months of age. Projecting it, it was encouraging to see the film was in relatively good shape and the quality of of images impressive.
In making this work, I have edited the original film, retimed it, and added some subtle effects. I have acted as a 'post-producer' in a sense discussed by Nicolas Bourriaud - I have reused discarded images for purposes relevant to the contemporary situation. It is not known who made the film, however it is clear that it dates from the early to mid-Showa Era, a period in which the people of Japan suffered the disastrous consequences of war. The work invites reflection on the value and fragility of peace.