Ann Arbor Japan Week 2025 | Free Screening: Carving the Divine: Buddhist Sculptors of Japan
Yujiro Seki, 2019, 1h 39m
Tuesday, June 17, 2025
5:30-7:45 PM
4th Floor Meeting Room
Off Campus Location
Join us for this free documentary screening at Ann Arbor District Library: Downtown Library 4th Floor Meeting Room!
Carving the Divine is a documentary film that offers a rare look into a 1400-year-old Buddhist woodcarving tradition and the practitioners struggling to preserve its legacy in a rapidly changing Japan. Produced, written, and directed by Yujiro Seki, this documentary tells the authentic story of Busshi, Japan's Buddhist sculptors. For more than a millennium, Japanese people have confronted the suffering and meaning of life through this magnificent art.
Carving the Divine has become the official selection for 33 film festivals, showing in a total of 22 countries, and has won awards at 13 festivals worldwide, including winning Best Director for a Foreign Language Documentary at World Cinema Milan and premiering at the Raindance Film Festival in London.
Following the screening, there will be a Q&A with the writer, producer, and director Yujiro Seki.
This documentary is not rated.
This event is part of Japan Week 2025 in partnership with the Ann Arbor District Library: https://aadl.org/node/640445.
The 11th annual Ann Arbor Japan Week is from June 15 to 21. Join us all week for free Japan-themed events and activities for all ages! View the complete schedule at: https://myumi.ch/V7nxn.
If there is anything we can do to make this event accessible to you, please contact us at cjsevents@umich.edu. Please be aware that advance notice is necessary as some accommodations may require more time for the university to arrange.
Carving the Divine is a documentary film that offers a rare look into a 1400-year-old Buddhist woodcarving tradition and the practitioners struggling to preserve its legacy in a rapidly changing Japan. Produced, written, and directed by Yujiro Seki, this documentary tells the authentic story of Busshi, Japan's Buddhist sculptors. For more than a millennium, Japanese people have confronted the suffering and meaning of life through this magnificent art.
Carving the Divine has become the official selection for 33 film festivals, showing in a total of 22 countries, and has won awards at 13 festivals worldwide, including winning Best Director for a Foreign Language Documentary at World Cinema Milan and premiering at the Raindance Film Festival in London.
Following the screening, there will be a Q&A with the writer, producer, and director Yujiro Seki.
This documentary is not rated.
This event is part of Japan Week 2025 in partnership with the Ann Arbor District Library: https://aadl.org/node/640445.
The 11th annual Ann Arbor Japan Week is from June 15 to 21. Join us all week for free Japan-themed events and activities for all ages! View the complete schedule at: https://myumi.ch/V7nxn.
If there is anything we can do to make this event accessible to you, please contact us at cjsevents@umich.edu. Please be aware that advance notice is necessary as some accommodations may require more time for the university to arrange.
| Building: | Off Campus Location |
|---|---|
| Location: | Ann Arbor District Library: Downtown Branch, 343 S 5th Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48104 |
| Website: | |
| Event Type: | Film Screening |
| Tags: | Asian Languages And Cultures, Buddhism, Film, Free, japan, Japanese Studies |
| Source: | Happening @ Michigan from Center for Japanese Studies, International Institute, Asian Languages and Cultures |
International Institute Programming
The International Institute’s centers sponsor numerous conferences, lectures, exhibits, and cultural performances throughout the year. These events are designed to educate the university community and the public about global issues and inspire discussion and dialogue.
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