Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo
A very unique documentary film will open tomorrow at Downtown Independent Theater. It's called "Beetle Queen Conqures Tokyo", A film about Japanese addiction of insects.
A New York-based animal keeper and docent at the American Museum of Natural History, Jessica Oreck, was facinated by the way Japanese treat the insects and its environment. And she tried to challenge the Western-way of viewing the nature by making the film.
I first noticed this film while covering CineVegas International Film Festival last year. Unfortunately, I didn't get to see it at the theater. But everybody started talking about it, and I had to talk with the director Jessica Oreck and obtained a copy of the film. Later the film received Special Jury award from the festival.
First of all, the Japanese people tend to have very strange sense of art. But it is also scientifically proven fact that Japanese language has very unique function towards their culture.
Tadanobu Tsunoda, a professor of Tokyo Medical & Dental University had conducted the research to test how Japanese and non-Japanese people react towards the sound of insects. He concluded in his report that Japanese people used the left, "the language," side of brain to process the sound of insects whereas everybody else in the world uses the right, "music" side of brain. And he continued to receive the same result as long as the people learn Japanese as their native language.
This Japanese language's unique brain ability enabled the insects into their literature. This is one of the reasons why Japanese people could relate to insects and pet them.
Oreck visited Japan and filmed how Japanese people interact with insects. Kids, of course, love them. Some try to make money. Some are very addicted to the world of insects. The film took place in both city and country-side of Japan, and portrayed how Japanese people interact with insects in the different environment.
The film brings superb cinematography. It is very sentimental. The audience will sure enjoy the interaction with nature through the film. Highly recommend to see it.
Beetle Queens Conquires Tokyo starts playing on May 28 through June 3 at Downtown Independent Theater, 251 S. Main Street. For ticket, visit www.downtownindependent.com
The film is currently scheduled to play throughout the US. For more detail, visit www.beetlequeen.com
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