No Smoking
This intimate portrait documentary celebrates legendary musician and composer Haruomi Hosono—founding member of influential electro-pop group Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO) with Ryuichi Sakamoto and Yukihiro Takahashi—who candidly talks to the camera about everything from his childhood in the rubble of post-WWII Tokyo to his musical influences and history with Happy End and YMO. In addition to a treasure trove of archival photographs and personal artefacts interspersed throughout the film, No Smoking offers a rare backstage pass to a mini world tour of Hosono performances with concert footage from recent gigs in Yokohama, Taipei, London, Los Angeles and New York City. Featuring appearances by Kiko and Yuka Mizuhara, Van Dyke Parks, Tadanori Yokoo, Gen Hoshino and Mac DeMarco.
- Official Selection, Tokyo International Film Festival 2019
Streaming in the U.S. from August 20-September 2 as part of JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Film 2021