The Japan Society’s recurring online Film Club turns to Kazuhiro Soda’s Campaign on 2 September. The first-Wednesday club asks participants to watch the selected film independently, then meet on Zoom for an informal conversation about Japanese cinema, culture and society.
An election campaign observed from the inside
Released in 2007, Campaign follows Kazuhiko Yamaguchi, a stamp-and-coin shop owner selected by Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party to contest a local by-election. He has no political experience or established connection to Miyamae Ward, yet is drawn into a tightly choreographed street campaign of marching, bowing, chanting and constant supervision by party operatives.
The documentary uses that unlikely candidacy to examine the rituals and pressures of Japanese grassroots politics. Rather than treating the meeting as a conventional screening, the club expects participants to arrive having already seen the film and ready to discuss its political and social observations.
Kazuhiro Soda’s observational approach
Soda is known for a minimalist observational method that avoids heavy narration, formal interviews and visible directorial intervention. Campaign established that approach internationally; his later documentaries include Mental (2008), Peace (2010) and Inland Sea (2018). The Film Club presents the work as both a political documentary and an entry point into Soda’s wider approach to everyday life in Japan.
Registration and viewing
The meeting starts at 18:30 BST and requires advance Zoom registration. It is free for Japan Society members; for non-members the organiser asks for a recommended £5 donation (or membership) rather than a fixed ticket price. Advance registration is via the event’s “Book online here” link on the official page. The club says it is open to all; confirm the current registration status with the organiser. Zoom access details are sent after registration.
Participants must obtain and watch the film beforehand. The organiser points to rental viewing through dafilms.com and subscription viewing through Guidedoc; availability and viewing cost may change. For registration terms or age requirements, contact events@japansociety.org.uk or 020 3075 1996.
Cover image
This illustrative AI-generated cover is not a photograph or rendering of the event itself.