Challenges Independant Filmmakers Face in Japan

This week, we have Mayu Nakamura, a lifelong traveler and storyteller from Japan, who left home at 16 to study in the U.K. and eventually moved to New York City to pursue a career in filmmaking. She earned her MFA from NYU’s Graduate Film Program and now creates both fiction and documentary films while splitting her time between Tokyo and NYC. Her fiction feature Intimate Stranger premiered at the 2021 Tokyo International Film Festival, and her documentary Alone Again in Fukushima debuted at the 2020 Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival. Most recently, she received a BAFTA award for her work as a producer on the BBC documentary Atomic People.

In this entertainment industry-focused version of Japan Expert Insights, Michael William Foster and co-host Maya Matsuoka will explore the multifaceted world of Japanese entertainment, culture, and industry trends. We’ll feature in-depth discussions every other week with leading experts who offer valuable perspectives on the latest developments and timeless aspects of Japan’s entertainment landscape.

2025-06-15T20:00:06+00:00

About the Author: boojazz

At the age of fifteen, Michael began his professional career by drawing children’s menus for a chain of restaurants in the Southwest. His experience in graphics, marketing, illustration and video production fill an essential need in advertising agencies, printing companies, and design firms. In the early 2010's Michael blogged for The Huffington Post and Psychology Today on the topic of Digital Reinvention. Some of the clients Michael has worked with include: Microsoft, US – Japan Business Council, RAINN (co-founded by Tori Amos and Sarah McLaughlin), Chicagoland Speedway, Richard Shay Photography, The British Embassy in the United States, Ben Hollis Worldwide, Aphex, & PepsiCo. His previous television work has gained the interest of major studios such as Dreamworks SKG.