Shashin Koshien: A Summer in 0.5 Seconds: Film Screening & Director Talk

Shashin Koshien: A Summer in 0.5 Seconds

Film Screening & Director Talk

Tuesday, May 6th, 2025

7:30 - 10:00 PM EDT

Hosted in person at:

About the Event:

As part of JSB's 2025 Hokkaido Fair, we will be screening the 2017 Japanese film, Shashin Koshien: A Summer in 0.5 Seconds (写真甲子園 0.5秒の夏). This will be the US premiere of the exciting drama directed by Hiroshi Sugawara following several high school groups as they compete in a national photography competition.

The film is a fictionalized story about the real life photography competition that is held annually in Higashikawa, Hokkaido, called shashin koshien. Since 1994, the contest has grown in popularity and now receives submissions from more than 500 schools every year to determine the best high school photography team in Japan!

Experience the breathtaking beauty of Hokkaido's natural scenery through the lens of the photography students in this film, directed by a Hokkaido native. 

Following the film screening, we are honored to have director Hiroshi Suguwara join us virtually on Zoom for a brief talk and Q&A, where the audience will be able to ask about the making of the film. 

Shashin Koshien: A Summer in 0.5 Seconds's runtime is 117 minutes. Watch the trailer here.

Screening will be in Japanese language with English subtitles. 

This event is made possible thanks to a grant from the Toshiba International Foundation. 

We cannot guarantee refunds for tickets purchased, however please let us know if you are unable to make the screening by emailing joanneha@japansocietyboston.org.

About the Director:

Hiroshi Sugawara is a Japanese film director, film producer, and screenwriter. Born in Sapporo, Hokkaido,  he graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Arts at the Department of Film and Television, studying movie production and production, and winning the Cumuldee Award (Excellence Award) during his time. After returning home to Japan, in 1988 he made his directorial debut with "Our 7 Days of War", which won the Blue Ribbon Work Award, Kumamoto Film Festival Director Award, and was selected as one of "100 Japanese Films". "Firefly Star" published in 2004 was an official participation work of the 16th Tokyo International Film Festival Competition, and was also released in various countries around the world. "Flower of early bloom" starring Ruriko Asaoka was officially screened at the 19th Tokyo International Film Festival and the Australian Sydney Film Festival and received high praise at home and abroad. 

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