Documentary features interview with manga creator Gengoroh Tagame.
Director Graham Kolbeins and co-writer Anne Ishii‘s (Massive: Gay Erotic Manga and the Men Who Make It editors) Queer Japan documentary project Kickstarter campaign reached its US$45,000 goal on Monday. As of press time, the campaign has raised US$45,710, with 23 hours to go.
The documentary looks at artists, activists, and every day people living in Japan who are also part of a sexual or identity minority. So far the project has scheduled individual interviews with the likes of bara manga creator Gengoroh Tagame (The Passion of Gengoroh Tagame: Bara Master, Shirogane no Hana), and artist Rokudenashiko (Megumi Igarashi), who made international news after she was arrested for her artwork because it displayed uncensored genitalia, and giving away 3D printer data of her vagina as a crowdfunding reward.
Other interviewees include drag queen Vivienne Sato; HIV activist, writer, and co-founder of G-Men magazine Hiroshi Hasegawa; visual artist Nogi Sumiko; dancer Atsushi Matsuda of the renowned butoh group DAIRAKUDAKAN; and bar owner Masaki C. Matsumoto.
The campaign will run until March 15. The project will use the funds to shoot the documentary across Japan from April to August with plans to submit it to Japanese film festivals next year.
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