Naomi Kawase Will Direct Film for 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games

According to Variety, Naomi Kawase, Japanese auteur, has been chosen to direct the official film of the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Kawase, a regular of Cannes Film Festival, is best known for films "Sweet Bean," "Suzaku," and "Still The Water."

The director of the official film must provide unique cultural perspective and context and aim to capture the soul of a specific edition of the Olympics, the International Olympic Committee said. Kawase's bid was chosen by Japanese film experts, international film experts, and the Olympic Foundation for Culture and Heritage.

Kawase is the fifth woman to direct the official film, after Caroline Rowland (London 2012), Gu Jun (Beijing 2008), Mai Zetterling (for one of the segments of the film Munich 1972), and Leni Riefenstahl (Berlin 1936).

"Kawase's passion for topics linking sport, culture and society and the unique perspective she brings as one of her country's leading female voices in filmmaking make her an ideal collaborator for this film," said director of the Olympic foundation for culture and heritage, Francis Gabet.

"I now feel that the 'god of film' that came to me one day has given me the chance to record this wonderful celebration of sport that connects people, and to leave a legacy for generations to come," said Kawase in a statement. "I hope to capture 'time' and take full advantage of the appeal of documentary films and their ability to freeze those moments into 'eternity,' allowing the significance of the Tokyo 2020 Games to be communicated worldwide."

Read the original story on Variety.

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