Experiencing Interruptions?

Okaeri

“I was looking for an answer, but now I just don't want to forget. Piece by piece I lose parts of my memories. A whole day is reduced to an evening. An evening to a moment. And a moment to one still image. That is all I remember. That image, and the feeling I had.”

The first time I went to Japan I didn’t leave Tokyo. I fell in love with the city at once. Six months later I went back to live there for a longer period of time. I was looking for an answer to what seemed like a simple question: Where does it feel like home? Ancient Japanese beliefs say humans come from water. I wanted to see if I could change too, if I could change my shape and adapt to my surroundings. Okaeri is the word my roommates shouted every time I entered the front door, it means ‘welcome home’.

  • Axelle Lenaerts
    Director
  • Axelle Lenaerts
    Director of Photography
  • Axelle Lenaerts
    Editor
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Experimental, Short, Student
  • Genres:
    travelogue, essay film
  • Runtime:
    24 minutes 9 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    June 19, 2019
  • Country of Origin:
    Belgium
  • Country of Filming:
    Japan
  • Language:
    English, Japanese
  • Shooting Format:
    digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Black & White and Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes
  • BREEDBEELD kortfilmfestival
    Antwerp
    Belgium
    November 8, 2019
    Belgian première
  • International Ethnographic Film Festival OKO
    online festival
    Ukraine
    September 12, 2020
Director Biography - Axelle Lenaerts

graduated at KASK Ghent in 2019, master in liberal arts
filmmaker, photographer and mixed media artist

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