Ishiro Honda: Memoirs of a Film Director (2025)

Delving into the life and cinematic career of one of Japan’s most prolific directors, this film shines a spotlight on Ishiro Honda’s filmography from both a historical and personal perspective, exploring his contributions to the Japanese film industry and his firsthand experiences of war, from which he barely survived. It will also uncover his friendship and professional relationship with director Akira Kurosawa, as well as his profound feelings regarding the atomic bomb, a subject that became an obsession for him and was frequently reflected in his films, including – of course – “Godzilla.” Among those who reflect on his life and work are the sons of both Honda and Kurasawa, filmmakers Joe Dante (“Gremlins”), Shinji Higuchi (“Shin Godzilla”), and Tomoo Haraguchi (“Ultraman Ginga,” “Gamera, Guardian of the Universe”), actress Linda Miller (“King Kong Escapes”), several notable kaiju authors, and more. Not rated. In English, and Japanese and Spanish with English subtitles. 70 minutes.

“Given the absence of a documentary focusing on Ishiro Honda, both in Japan and internationally, I have embarked on this project with the aim of highlighting the significance of this Japanese filmmaker (not solely) for his filmography of giant monsters, but for his entire body of work, his filmmaker’s obsessions, and, naturally, his personal life.” – Director Jonathan Bellés