Megumi Sasaki (佐々木 芽生 Sasaki Megumi, born 1962) is a Japanese filmmaker and writer. Her films include Herb and Dorothy,[1] Herb & Dorothy 50x50,[2] and A Whale of a Tale.[3]
Early life edit
Born in Sapporo, she moved to New York City in 1987 and later worked for NHK as a reporter.[4]
Filmmaking career edit
Sasaki's 2008 film Herb & Dorothy followed art collectors Herbert and Dorothy Vogel to document how they chose artwork for their collection.[5] Five years later Sasaki released Herb & Dorothy 50x50, which tracked the progress of the Vogels' efforts to donate fifty pieces from their collection to each of the fifty US states, but which the Los Angeles Times called "less personal than the earlier documentary".[6]
Sasaki's 2018 film A Whale of a Tale is a documentary about the Taiji dolphin drive hunt. It was created as a response to The Cove and includes perspectives from Japanese fishermen as well as activists.[7] Sasaki claims that she decided to make the film when she saw The Cove win an Academy Award.[8] The New York Times called the A Whale of a Tale "a rambling blend of complaint, tourism and straw-men arguments" while The Hollywood Reporter praised it for delivering "a thoughtful riposte to The Cove even while providing plenty of opportunity for those opposed to the practice of killing or capturing whales and dolphins to make their case".[9][10] A nonfiction book by Sasaki with the same title as the film was published by Shueisha in 2017.
Filmography edit
| Year | Title | Japanese | Romanization |
| 2010 | Herb and Dorothy | ハーブ&ドロシー アートの森の小さな巨人 | Hābu & Doroshī: Āto no mori no chiisana kyojin |
| 2012 | Herb & Dorothy 50x50 | ハーブアンドドロシー ふたりからの贈りもの | Hābu ando Doroshī: futari kara no okurimono |
| 2017 | A Whale of a Tale | おクジラさま ふたつの正義の物語 | Okujirasama: Futatsu no seigi no monogatari |
Bibliography edit
- Okujirasama: Futatsu no seigi no monogatari (おクジラさま ふたつの正義の物語, A Whale of a Tale), 2017, Shueisha, ISBN 9784087816082
References edit
- ^ Lee, Nathan (June 5, 2009). "Studio, Apartment". The New York Times. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
- ^ DeFore, John (August 22, 2013). "Herb & Dorothy 50x50: Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
- ^ Denyer, Simon (August 30, 2018). "Filmmaker tries to bridge cultural divide between Japan, U.S. over whale, dolphin hunting". Washington Post. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
- ^ Shimaji, Katsuhiko [in Japanese] (July 3, 2013). "Sasaki Megumi, Daiikai ｢Nyūyōku wa Subete ga Hattan Jōtai de, Seikatsusuru nowa Taihen. Sono Hirihirikan ga Tamaranain desu" 佐々木芽生 第1回 「NYはすべてが破綻状態で、生活するのは大変。でも、そのヒリヒリ感が堪らないんです」. Shūkan Gendai (in Japanese). Retrieved March 8, 2019.
- ^ Beckman, Rachel (June 19, 2008). "'Herb and Dorothy': You Can't Spell Heart Without Art". Washington Post. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
- ^ Linden, Sheri (September 27, 2013). "Review: 'Herb & Dorothy' do the math". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
- ^ Lewis, David (August 31, 2018). "'Whale of a Tale' is Japan's rebuttal to environmental documentary 'The Cove'". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
- ^ Milman, Oliver (August 14, 2018). "Beyond The Cove: what happened after the Oscar-winning documentary?". The Guardian. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
- ^ Catsoulis, Jeannette (August 16, 2018). "Review: 'A Whale of a Tale' Fights Back Against 'The Cove'". The New York Times. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
- ^ Scheck, Frank (August 15, 2018). "'A Whale of a Tale': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 9, 2019.