Favorite dir: Anahí Berneri, Edward Yang, Jonas Mekas, Kim Ki-duk, Mitsuo Yanagimachi, Wim Wenders, Nadine Labaki, Matt Ross, Fatih Akın, Andrey Zvyagintsev, Gerald Kargl, Damjan Kozole, Jia Zhangke, Sidney Lumet, Robert Altman, Damián Szifron, etc
After studying in Spain in 2014, Kimi Meguro spent over 7 years on an art journey, learning various styles of cinematography and screenwriting from 10 different cultures.
Following the unexpected cancellation of a special screening(2023) in Uzbekistan, a Central Asian media arts event supported by the British Council & Goethe-Institut, he was introduced to the masterclass organized by Les Ateliers Varan. He had not planned to attend Varan. It became a rare opportunity that would have been nearly inaccessible from Japan under normal circumstances. During the program, he worked under the mentorship of Danièle Incalcaterra, a multilingual Italian filmmaker known for his transnational documentary practice. The association plays a parallel role to the Cannes Film Festival’s educational programs whose focus is primarily on fiction by serving as a key institution for documentary film education both in France & internationally.
His filmography includes NOH Men(2021), a 3:59-minute documentary invited to represent Japan at Tashkent IFF of Africa, Asia and Latin America, & its rare filmmaking program—one of the earliest throughout Asia & a former-unified fest by "World's Big 4" (according to Far Eastern perspectives & sources). While Kimi cherishes such histories, NOH Men was also screened online at Athens Digital Arts Festival, supported by the EU and Japan Agency for Cultural Affairs during the Covid-19 pandemic.
His silent fiction Pueblo(2023) was selected for the top 0.4% section at Jeonju, Korea, surpassing the screening rates of Student Oscars®(0.45%), the Shorts of Berlinale(0.465%), Sundance(0.5%), Venice Orizzonti(0.6%) & Cannes Critics' Week(0.6%). He is currently working on some exciting international co-productions!
Others |
Directing: Change Fashion(prod. Tokyo 2020 costume designer), Shiseido(a Tsubaki product), Education tips for Kids(Language, over 0.5M subscribers, w/ Australian crew), MV, Maldives footage(Austrian crew)
External art consultant: Echigo-Tsumari Triennale(the oldest), Int'l Association(regional)
Museum staff: Setouchi & Yokohama Triennale, Tokyo Metropolitan Art, some Non-profit org
Model: Tokyo Walker Magazine(Kadokawa), Loewe, Shiseido, Latin MVs
Actor for films: Pueblo, Roommate(Toei), Mirai Shutter(Japan's new longest running record in 2019, Ex Int'l NYT, JP Times), Reset(Asian FF of Dallas 2014), etc.
His Uncles |
Yuichi Akata 赤田祐一 - The editor-in-chief of Battle Royale(Best-selling Novel, the original source material for the eponymous film starring Takeshi Kitano 北野武),
Yoshiro Akata 赤田義郎 - SEGA, SQUARE CO., LTD. USA(Video Game Development), Beams(JP Fashion)
KiMi's Logo Design: Bruno Ruiz(Buenos Aires)
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【概要】 Kimi Meguro
福島県出身。スペイン語圏、日本、英語圏、ロシア語圏で映画制作・演技を学び、EU・外務省(フランス)のアトリエ・ヴァランのクラスに参加。
2015年公開の『未来シャッター』で東京在住の外国人役に抜擢され、ニューヨーク・タイムズ国際版に掲載。作品は19年、自主配給ながら文化施設・教育機関・企業などで継続上映され、日本歴代最長のロングラン記録(3年9か月)を達成。
21年、超短編ドキュメンタリーMV『NOH Men 能面』が、アテネ・デジタル・アーツ・フェスティバル及びタシケント映画祭(アフリカ・アジア・LatAmの)他、各領域に正式出品され、35歳以下の日本人として唯一、現地映画撮影プログラムに招聘。世界最古の映画学校VGIK(モスクワの国際支部)のクラスに参加。
23年、8つの文化が交差するサイレント劇映画『Pueblo』が全州短編映画祭に選出され、カンヌやベルリン、サンダンスといった選出率0.4%水準で上映、特別上映を含む各国で高評価を得た。
25年、Netflix×米オスカー®ノミネート脚本家のWS指導を受け、文化戦略系の日本で数少ないプロデューサーへの準備を進めながら、33文化圏の経験をゴールとし、あの作家とのコラボを企画中。
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【詳細】
福島県出身。2014年渡西、南アフリカ系の家庭に滞在。バルセロナ大視聴覚部門ESCAC(Cilect会員)にて勤務経験を積む。美術館スタッフ・漫画翻訳・俳優を経て、2021年実験映画『NOH Men』を発表。Creative EU出資の第17回アテネデジタルアーツフェスティバルをはじめ、世界各国の芸術祭で上映された。同作で、1997年までモスクワ映画祭(ヴェネツィアに次ぐ伝統で、チェコKVIFFや、ギリシャ・テッサロニキのTIFFとA枠開催を分散化)の偶数年版、タシケント国際映画祭の脚本家・監督ラボに現地招聘され、世界最古の映画学校VGIK海外支部設立時のクラスに参加。翌年には、ウズベキスタン、日本、スペイン、アルゼンチンの国際共同製作として短編『The Return to Dreams』(原題:Pueblo)が完成。
しかし、*本当にその直後にウクライナ侵攻、コロナウィルスの影響も重なり、旧ソ連地域の作品として多方面から影響を受けることとなった。それでも『The Return to Dreams』は、南米映画界最大のアワードショーの一つ、第52回グラマド祭・キキート賞/オスカリート公認のFestival Nacional de Cinema de Guaíbaに選出。また、韓国・全州短編映画祭の国際コンペティション部門15作品にノミネートされ、倍率約250倍の狭き門を突破。
世界Big5の大部分や広告賞より競争率の高い枠に入り、Queer Palmを含むカンヌ3冠作と肩を並べる評価を得た。
製作国内では、2023年中央アジアの独立系作品特化の複合型芸術祭の映画部門(2024年より大阪万博出展、ブハラ・ビエンナーレ創設の為、主要映画祭は65周年後に再々度休止→国内最大)、Cinema Loveにて特別上映が組まれ、再び現地を訪問。EU・外務省および、フランス映画製作者協会アトリエ・ヴァラン(Cilect正会員他、カンヌ映画祭公式・劇映画・育成部門と並列)主催のドキュメンタリーマスタークラスを受講。
国際映画製作者連盟が提案した、第13回(だが63年の歴史)タシケントには、35歳以下の日本人監督代表として参加。黒沢清監督『旅のおわり世界のはじまり』以来のウズベキスタンでの映画撮影となった。近年では、ジョニー・デップ、北野武監督、『レオン』のリュック・ベッソン、『ユージュアル・サスペクツ』のケヴィン・スペイシー等が参加。1958年エジプト(カイロの前身)・インドネシアと共同で創設された、アジアで最も初期のコンペティティブ国際映画祭「Afro-Asian Film Festival」の復活版(オランダIFFR 1972 - へ接続)への参加、また、北・中央アジア地域(文明圏を除く西アジア)で最初のユネスコ世界遺産登録地である、イチャン・カラの公式撮影の機会を得た。
メモ:イベント版サウンドは、ウズベキスタン国立芸術文化大、全ロシア国立映画大の先生(外注)。『Anora』(2024年、ショーン・ベイカー)は、NYブルックリンのロシア語圏コミュニティを舞台、暗に、主人公がポスト・ソ連圏出身者(2世/ディアスポラ的)設定の物語で、カンヌでパルムドールを獲得。侵攻期のタイミングも相まって、製作国・アメリカをはじめとする西側を中心に、近年大きく話題に。
また、東日本大震災~10年後を扱った中編ドキュドラマ『COVID-19 X ...』では、第19回GZDocのインターナショナル・ピッチングや、2022年チャイナ・ドラゴン・アワード等に入選。同年、日本国内の現代美術カテゴリー最古で文化庁共催の、越後妻有アートトリエンナーレの外部コンサルタントを務めた。その他、ワップフィルム製作・配給映画『Mirai Shutter』への参加では、ジャパン・タイムズ、International New York Timesに俳優としての掲載ほか、歴代ロングラン上映(3年9か月)を記録した。
Kimiの目標は、広域アジア・イスラム圏(旧ソビエト圏)・ヨーロッパ・アメリカ大陸、それぞれの映画的言語と文化的文脈を長編作品に統合し、地政学的・文化的境界を越えることだ。
  • Producer (7 Credits)
    1X
    Documentary, Experimental, Feature, Web / New Media
    The Return to Dreams2023
    Experimental, Short, Other
    COVID-19 × ...2021
    Documentary, Experimental
    NOH Men2021
    Documentary, Music Video, Short
    ¿Eh?2021
    Documentary, Experimental, Short, Other
    DESERTER 22020
    Short
    Deserter2008
    Experimental, Short, Student
  • Director (6 Credits)
    1X
    Documentary, Experimental, Feature, Web / New Media
    The Return to Dreams2023
    Experimental, Short, Other
    COVID-19 × ...2021
    Documentary, Experimental
    NOH Men2021
    Documentary, Music Video, Short
    DESERTER 22020
    Short
    Deserter2008
    Experimental, Short, Student
  • Writer (5 Credits)
    1X
    Documentary, Experimental, Feature, Web / New Media
    TBD
    Student, Screenplay, Treatment, Other
    The Return to Dreams2023
    Experimental, Short, Other
    DESERTER 22020
    Short
    Deserter2008
    Experimental, Short, Student
  • Acting (2 Credits)
    COVID-19 × ...2021
    Documentary, Experimental
    Deserter2008
    Experimental, Short, Student
  • Lead (1 Credit)
    The Return to Dreams2023
    Experimental, Short, Other
  • Calligraphy and Title Letter Design (1 Credit)
    NOH Men2021
    Documentary, Music Video, Short
  • DOP, Editor (1 Credit)
    NOH Men2021
    Documentary, Music Video, Short
  • Sound (1 Credit)
    NOH Men2021
    Documentary, Music Video, Short
  • Subtitles (1 Credit)
    NOH Men2021
    Documentary, Music Video, Short
Tutor: Christina Lazaridi (One Day Crossing, Nadie Nos Mira)
TBD
Netflix X VIPO Japan X Oscar®- nominated NYC screenwriter's Lab 2025
Tokyo / Officially selected
2025
Japan-Korea 1-on-1 Producers Exchange
TBD
38th Tokyo IFF, Content Market/TIFFCOM
Tokyo-Busan (VIPO/Korean Film Council KOFIC)
2025
Int'l section, Nominated
The Return to Dreams
11º Festival Diseño Audiovisual Experimental Valdivia / FIDAXV
Los Ríos, (MNBA / National Museum of Fine Arts)
2024
1st place in popularity ranking of Uzbek shorts as of May-August, 2023 and Sept-Oct, 2024
The Return to Dreams
IMDb
Worldwide
2024
Connecting Creators Community (Only lab, postponed)
The Return to Dreams
Festival Angaelica, 16th (supported by 2014 Slamdance FF)
Pasadena, Los Angeles, CA
2023
Digital Experimental Cinema / EU
The Return to Dreams
Live Soundtrack (67th or 68th episode with Music Live)
Serbia (Belgrade), Sweden (Malmö, Gothenburg), Croatia, Bulgaria, North Macedonia or Switzerland
2023
Out of Competition / Moc Fest
The Return to Dreams
Cinema Love (by Swiss and Israeli Agencies, Tuborg, Coca Cola or British Council, etc)
Tashkent, Uzbekistan
2023
accredited by 51st Gramado Festival (Brazilian Oscar)
The Return to Dreams
22º Festival Nacional de Cinema Estudantil de Guaíba/Mostra Nacional e Internacional de Curtas e Longa Metragens
Guaíba, Rio Grande do Sul
2023
2nd place in popularity ranking of 275 Uzbek movies as of May 15, 2023
The Return to Dreams
IMDb
Worldwide (an Amazon company)
2023
Quarter-Finalist Award / Comedy
The Return to Dreams
SWIFF / Student World Impact Film Festival - Total submitted films: 13,868 from over 120 nations
NJ, USA
2023
Horror / Thriller
The Return to Dreams
ONED art/experimental film festival
Beijing, Toulouse (France) and/or Online
2023
Int'l Competition (Top 0.4%)
The Return to Dreams
Jeonju International Short Film Festival
Jeonju, South Korea
2023
Finalist, 13th Edition
COVID-19 × ...
Festival Internazionale del Cinema Patologico
Roma
2022
Semi Finalist / 10th Edition
COVID-19 × ...
Independent Video Film Festival of Youtube Art Club
Greece
2022
Official Selection
COVID-19 × ...
Cameroon International Film Festival
2022
Nominated / competition of China Dragon Awards
COVID-19 × ...
22nd China International Conference of Science and Education Producers
Beijing
2022
Finalist
NOH Men
21 islands International Short Film fest in NYC
New York
2022
Movie Streaming Service
NOH Men
Dokuso Theater
Tokyo
2022
Not screened (Postponed) / Romantic Film Category
The Return to Dreams
Taiga Community
Khabarovsk, Russia
2022
Video Art - Official Selection
NOH Men
Athens Digital Arts Festival, 17th / Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs also participated
co-financed by the Hellenic Republic and the European Union. Partnered with Art Explora (fest)
2021
2 categories nominated and invited as a representative under 35 y.o. filmmakers of East Asia
NOH Men
Tashkent International Film Festival, 13th (1958, 68 - 97, 2021 - )
(ex-Moscow IFF's even year edition with FIAPF A-lists) Due to the political decision to organize only one "A" festival for all socialist countries, Karlovy Vary IFF was forced to alternate year by year with Moscow IFF between 1959 and 1993.
2021
International Pitching Session
COVID-19 × ...
19th GZdoc - largest in China or Eastasian Documentary category
Guangzhou, Guangdong
2021
Best Screenplay
TBD
University's selection for Film department lab (16mm)
Tokyo
2010
Arthouse Cinema Screening
Deserter
Tollywood
Tokyo
2008
Official Selection
DESERTER 2
Phoenix Short film festival (@ TIFF Bell Lightbox)
Toronto, ON
Best Short Documentary
DESERTER 2
Fickin International Film Festival (CANAL+)
Kinshasa
Best Film
DESERTER 2
# Am Latino
Maryland
Officially screened
DESERTER 2
Coal City Film Festival
Lagos
Short Film Experimental
DESERTER 2
Buenos Aires International Film Festival
Online
Online Screening
DESERTER 2
Lift Off
London
Experimental
COVID-19 × ...
DokuBaku international Documentary Film festival
Baku
JazzTimes Television
The Return to Dreams
Madavera Expojour JazzTimes Film Festival
USA
Animation - Official Selection
NOH Men
Lima Web Fest, 5th
Lima, Peru
The cast has won several awards
NOH Men
59th-60th Fukushima Festival of Arts (1962 - )
Official Selection
NOH Men
12 International Mobile Film Festival
North Macedonia, South Korea and USA
Official Selection
NOH Men
Venice Architecture Film Festival
Venice
Official Selection
NOH Men
Noble International Film Festival And Awards
India
Selected
NOH Men
Festival RENUAC
Santiago
College
Colegio Maravillas, Málaga, Spain
with South African host mother and grandma
2014
College
Eleven Arts, Inc. Acting workshop (JPN, American & Persian-mixed method)
Mentor: Amir Naderi, Ko Mori (Producing part), Toei Sword Fighting Team, etc.
20112014
College
Screenwriting & Filmmaking program - Fellow (Uzbekistan State Institute of Arts and Culture, Uzbekkino, VGIK branch, FIAPF, UNESCO), Central Asia
As a representative under 35 y.o. filmmakers of East Asia, with a Korean director | Mentor: Luc Besson, etc.
20212022
College
ESCAC (Cinema and Audiovisual School of Catalonia, UB) works, Barcelona, Spain
Advertisement (Acting)
College
20th Cinemadamare (79th VIFF (VPB), Venice Biennale participating AiR), Italy, TBD
Filmmaking, Screenplay in foreign languages
College
A Uni of Arts (For credit transfer systems among int'l higher education institutions, like an Oscar®-nominated JP documentalist Shiori Itō's case)
Film (8mm, 16mm, 35mm), JP format-screenwriting, English teacher: popular dir. Nagisa Ōshima 大島渚's son
College
Les Ateliers Varan - Master Class at Tashkent Film School (Mentor: Danièle Incalcaterra)
Doc & Journalism / due to Kimi's closing screening at Film Fest Cinema Love (which was cancelled suddenly in June, 2023)
2023
College
Several Latin, Chinese-speaking region, or Spanish Actor's agents (casting, its private classes)
Practicing multilingual scripts (incl. French, German, some African, or Korean projects) - e.g. By a 1st Japanese production for (81st) Oscar® best foreign film/the producer T.N. of "Departures" & His- BIENNALE COLLEGE CINEMA/Italy co-organized JPN Lab's intro - "日本映画初のアカデミー外国語映画賞受賞作品" などと報道されることが多いが、同賞の前身である名誉賞時代にすでに3本の日本映画が受賞しており、公式にも過去の名誉賞は外国語映画賞と同列の扱いとなっている点には注意が必要。またソ連映画で、1975年に黒澤明監督の「デルス・ウザーラ Dersu Uzala」が外国語映画賞を受賞。
20142021
College
Series Mania - Seminar / organized: Institut Français, CNC - French National Centre of Cinema, French Embassy
Series - specialized
2025
College
La Fémis (École nationale supérieure des métiers de l'image et du son) / Same course as Graduate School of Film, Tokyo University of the Arts [Couldn't attend due to busy schedules producing his 1st feature film :(]
Directing Lab participant (Ts: Brice Cauvin - Forum Variety, Nobuhiro Suwa - Cannes FIPRESCI & Official w/ FR dir)
2026
College
A SE Asian AiR - residency
Fashion - couldn't attend..
2026
High School
Certificate for Students Achieving the Proficiency Level of Upper Secondary School Graduates
When 17 (Normally 18)
High School
An Elementary School, Rouen, France
Volunteer
High School
Toronto IFF & some actor agencies, ON, Canada
Volunteering, Amazon Original series shooting experience (Incl. a leading role on film, Covid cancellation)
High School
Enbu Seminal / Tutors (Dirs): Toru Kamei, Atsushi Funahashi (Berlin, Cinéma du réel, Pusan), Masanori Tominaga (Oberhausen, Torino), Rikiya Imaizumi (Tokyo, Netflix), Tetsuo Shinohara (Montréal, KVIFF), Nobuhiro Yamashita (Cannes DsF), or Amir Naderi, etc. / Not a CILECT-affiliated or otherwise accredited school, but its alumni and its production company have been credited at Cannes & other major festivals, incl. works by Chie Hayakawa & Kiyoshi Kurosawa.
Film Acting "An alumnus, participated in works by Toru Kamei (Singapore, Cork, Indie Lisboa), Ai Kariya (Cannes Film Market), etc, graduated with distinction."
Nickname
KiMi
Hometown
Fukushima Pref, JP hit by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, tsunami and nuclear accidents
Height
2
Gender
Other
Eye Color
Brown
・His name KIMI means YOU in his mother tongue!
・Tourné aux antipodes : la première coproduction de fiction d’un cinéaste japonais au XXI e siècle.
・Filmed on the other side of the world: the first Fiction co-production by a Japanese film director in the 21st century.
・In late 2010s, when KiMi lived in Spain, he visited San Sebastian Film Festival a couple of times as a visitor. Usually goes to art museums in cities around the world without info and spends time there. Similarly, while waiting for a film screening, a young staff of the festival told him where Gael García Bernal was staying. And later he met Gael in front of the hotel entrance. Also, the best director awarded Anahí Berneri followed his social media, watched KiMi's films and she passed on her recommendation to him. Good Education for filmmaking.
・In 2021, when KiMi was invited to the youth filming lab of Tashkent Film Festival, Uzbekistan, former Soviet Union (1958 AAFF, 1968-), his mentor was a French director Luc Besson of the "Léon: The Professional" film. The following year, Takeshi Kitano and Johnny Depp also attended there. One of his uncles Yuichi Akata is a writer and the editor-in-chief of best-selling novel "Battle Royale". In the eponymous film directed by Kinji Fukasaku, Kitano starred later.
・His future dream would be visiting over 100 countries or goin' to another planet...
Favorite dir: Anahí Berneri, Edward Yang, Jonas Mekas, Kim Ki-duk, Mitsuo Yanagimachi, Wim Wenders, Nadine Labaki, Matt Ross, Fatih Akın, Andrey Zvyagintsev, Gerald Kargl, Damjan Kozole, Jia Zhangke, Sidney Lumet, Robert Altman, Damián Szifron, etc
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