Raku pottery prizes spontaneity in the interaction of fire and falling ashes and this stunning documentary and performance film capture the beauty of both traditional Japanese pottery and the novel The Golden Temple, by the Japanese author Mishima.

This engaging one-hour film goes behind the scenes with composer Shinji Eshima and San Francisco Ballet resident choreographer Yuri Possokhov as they recount their collaboration with the original cast of RAkU. It brings together a confluence of eastern and western cultures in music, literature, philosophy and dance. The contributions of Butoh, martial arts, chanting Zen monks, the rigors of rehearsal with Yuri Possokhov, and the enduring friendships of the artists are all featured in the documentary preceding the stunning performance which was recorded in a film studio.

The performance is shot cinematically in the style of a dramatic film, providing an intimate relationship with the dancers. From the film’s opening narrative scenes, it establishes an intimate style that carries through the ballet performance. This gives viewers an immediate and powerful sense of being close to the dancers, rarely shared in dance films.

For festival or booking inquiries, please contact elizabeth@junofilms.com. For educational inquiries, please visit our educational site.

Producer/Director: Shirley Sun
Choreographer: Yuri Possokhov
Composer: Shinji Eshima
Principal Dancers: Yuan Yuan Tan, Damian Smith, Pascal Molat
Dancers: Gaetano Amico, Steven Morse, Sean Orza, and Myles Thatcher
San Francisco Ballet
Run time: 64 minutes
Genre: Documentary
Type: Color
Year: 2017
Language: English