Kon Ichikawa's 1968 documentary KYOTO is now available on DVD

Kyoto

Directed by Kon Ichikawa

Japan, 1968, 37 minutes

Marty Gross Film Productions Inc. has announced the DVD release of Kon Ichikawa's masterful documentary Kyoto.

This stunningly beautiful meditation on the history and culture of Kyoto includes scenes at the Ryoanji Temple Stone Garden, the Meditation Hall of Tenryuji Temple, a Geisha residence, the Moss Garden of Saihoji Temple, the Katsura Imperial Villa and the Gion Festival.

Ichikawa’s collaborators on Kyoto were among the most important Japanese artists of the period. The music is by Toru Takemitsu, cinematography by Naoyuki Sumitani, and design by Kenzo Tange and Yusaku Kamekura. Poet Shuntaro Tanikawa wrote the script.

Kyoto was filmed over 18 months in 1968, and produced by Olivetti, Japan. It is 37 minutes long.

The film has been restored to 2.3K, from a new 35mm colour print, in collaboration with the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia Archivio Nazionale del Cinema Impresa, Italy, and the National Film Center, Tokyo.

The DVD includes:
- Narration in English by Michael Redgrave, in Japanese by Hiroshi Akutagawa and in Italian by Giancarlo Sbragia
- Full colour booklet with short essays by the participants
- 17 minute short film on the opening night presentations of the film in Tokyo and Kyoto

Kon Ichikawa's Kyoto can be ordered here.