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Insights on Japan’s Cultural Legacy with Roland Kelts
This week, our guest is Roland Kelts, an award-winning journalist and the author of "Japanamerica: How Japanese Pop Culture has Invaded the US" and "The Art of Blade Runner: Black Lotus." He writes for [...]
Talking About The Film Rental Family with Michael and Maya
This week on Showtime at Japan Expert Insights, Maya Matsuoka and Michael Foster are taking a deep dive into the 2025 film Rental Family. Directed by the visionary Hikari, this poignant dramedy follows an [...]
Notes on a Lifelong Film Career with Eiji Uchida
On the last day of Asian Pop Up Cinema 2026, our guest today is a filmmaker whose work fearlessly explores the fringes of Japanese society with both grit and a profound sense of empathy. We [...]
Talking About the Film “How Dare You?” with Director Mipo O
Welcome back to week two of Asian Pop-up Cinema. Today, our special guest is the visionary director Mipo O. A graduate of Osaka University of Arts and a former protégé of Nobuhiko Obayashi, Oh [...]
The Film Seaside Serendipity with Satoko Yokohama
We are back at the 2026 edition of Asian Pop-Up Cinema here in Chicago. For today’s podcast episode, we are sitting down for an in-person interview with director Satoko Yokohama to discuss her latest [...]
The Imaginary Dog and the Lying Cat with Yukihiro Morigaki
Welcome to the 2026 edition of Asian Pop-Up Cinema here in Chicago. For today’s podcast episode, we are sitting down for an in-person interview with director Yukihiro Morigaki to discuss his latest feature film, The [...]
From Independent Films To Emmy Wins with Yuki Sakamoto Solomon
Our next guest is a powerhouse in the international film community. Yuki Sakamoto Solomon is a Chicago-based producer, festival director, and the founder of Coyote Sun Productions. With a career spanning Japanese public broadcasting and [...]
The Asian Pop-Up Cinema Showcase
Our next guest is Sophia Wong Boccio. Born and raised in Hong Kong, Sophia's deep roots in the film industry began with her parents' careers as a prominent editor and actress. She launched her professional [...]
From Stir Friday Night To Chicago Med
Maya Tanaka Allwardt is an actor and musician originally from the Bay Area. She is a recent Jeff Award nominee for her role as Little Sally in Theo Ubique’s Urinetown. You can also see [...]
The Untold Epic Story of Commodore Perry in Japan
This week’s guest is Harry Wright, the founder of All Things Japan and the visionary behind a developing historical project titled The Black Ships: A Sea of Change. Drawing on his deep cultural fluency [...]
Making A Japanese Harry Potter Film/TV Series
There is a secret hidden at the summit of a Japanese volcano... and it isn't a myth. It’s canon. Did you know that within the official Harry Potter canon, there is a premier Wizarding [...]
Let’s Talk About Japanese Entertainment: Q&A
Welcome to 2026! On this episode of Showtime @ Japan Expert Insights, Maya Matsuoka and Michael Foster are kicking off the year by sharing our favorite Japanese movies and TV shows. We’re diving into [...]
The Life of Ishiro Honda: Memoirs of a Film Director
In this episode, we revisited a special event hosted by the Chicago Japan Film Collective featuring authors Ed Godziszewski and Steve Ryfle. We explored the storied life of Ishiro Honda, focusing on his wartime experiences, [...]
From Toronto to Tokyo: The Path to Vertical Filmmaking
This week's guest is Ron Reid Jr., a Toronto native who originally traveled to Japan with just $400 in his pocket and has since established himself as a prominent filmmaker and actor in Tokyo. His [...]
How to Bring Japanese Cinema to Life
Our next guest is Aki Takabatake, the founder and CEO of Momo Films Inc., a Toronto-based boutique film distribution company specializing in Japanese cinema. A University of British Columbia graduate, she began her career as [...]
Film-making: Bridging Japan and the World
In our next episode, we meet Megumi Nishikura, a US-based documentary film-maker whose work explores identity, belonging, and the cultural intersections between Japan and the world. Her feature documentary film "Hafu - the mixed race [...]
Getting A Head Start In Japanese Film Production
Tokyo-based Japanese film producer Kanako Fujita is the founder of Felis Pictures Ltd. and a graduate of King’s College London, where she earned her degree in Film Studies. A participant of Rotterdam Lab 2025 and [...]
Tales of an Independent Filmmaker from Sendai
This week’s guest is Takashi Horie, a New York-based independent filmmaker. Born in Sendai, Miyagi, he graduated from the USC School of Cinematic Arts in 1996. Since then, Horie has built a versatile career [...]
news and articles
From Independent Films To Emmy Wins with Yuki Sakamoto Solomon
Our next guest is a powerhouse in the international film community. Yuki Sakamoto Solomon is a Chicago-based producer, festival director, and the founder of Coyote Sun Productions. With a career spanning Japanese public broadcasting and serving as a juror at the Chicago International Film Festival, Yuki has dedicated her work to connecting [...]
The Asian Pop-Up Cinema Showcase
Our next guest is Sophia Wong Boccio. Born and raised in Hong Kong, Sophia's deep roots in the film industry began with her parents' careers as a prominent editor and actress. She launched her professional journey in the 1990s by creating the Sophia’s Choice movie series in Beijing and later curating film [...]
From Stir Friday Night To Chicago Med
Maya Tanaka Allwardt is an actor and musician originally from the Bay Area. She is a recent Jeff Award nominee for her role as Little Sally in Theo Ubique’s Urinetown. You can also see her on screen as Amy Keening on season 11 of Chicago Med. Maya is active in the [...]
The Untold Epic Story of Commodore Perry in Japan
This week’s guest is Harry Wright, the founder of All Things Japan and the visionary behind a developing historical project titled The Black Ships: A Sea of Change. Drawing on his deep cultural fluency and a career as a retired U.S. Navy officer living in Japan, Harry is currently crafting a [...]
Making A Japanese Harry Potter Film/TV Series
There is a secret hidden at the summit of a Japanese volcano... and it isn't a myth. It’s canon. Did you know that within the official Harry Potter canon, there is a premier Wizarding School located in Japan? Situated at the summit of the volcanic island of Minami Iwo Jima, the [...]
Let’s Talk About Japanese Entertainment: Q&A
Welcome to 2026! On this episode of Showtime @ Japan Expert Insights, Maya Matsuoka and Michael Foster are kicking off the year by sharing our favorite Japanese movies and TV shows. We’re diving into the latest hits and trends shaping the entertainment landscape, and we want you to be part of [...]
The Life of Ishiro Honda: Memoirs of a Film Director
In this episode, we revisited a special event hosted by the Chicago Japan Film Collective featuring authors Ed Godziszewski and Steve Ryfle. We explored the storied life of Ishiro Honda, focusing on his wartime experiences, his deep friendship with Akira Kurosawa, and his prolific fifty-year career. The discussion covered how Honda directed [...]
From Toronto to Tokyo: The Path to Vertical Filmmaking
This week's guest is Ron Reid Jr., a Toronto native who originally traveled to Japan with just $400 in his pocket and has since established himself as a prominent filmmaker and actor in Tokyo. His award-winning documentary work includes 614, which chronicles a pastor's vision to aid communities by living amongst them, [...]
How to Bring Japanese Cinema to Life
Our next guest is Aki Takabatake, the founder and CEO of Momo Films Inc., a Toronto-based boutique film distribution company specializing in Japanese cinema. A University of British Columbia graduate, she began her career as a film buyer in Tokyo and has since held diverse roles in Toronto, including with the Toronto [...]
Film-making: Bridging Japan and the World
In our next episode, we meet Megumi Nishikura, a US-based documentary film-maker whose work explores identity, belonging, and the cultural intersections between Japan and the world. Her feature documentary film "Hafu - the mixed race experience" screened theatrically throughout Japan and aired on PBS and NipponTV. She produced "Fall Seven Times, Get [...]
Getting A Head Start In Japanese Film Production
Tokyo-based Japanese film producer Kanako Fujita is the founder of Felis Pictures Ltd. and a graduate of King’s College London, where she earned her degree in Film Studies. A participant of Rotterdam Lab 2025 and the Busan Producer Hub 2024, she specializes in Asian–European co-productions that bridge cultures and explore the moral [...]
Tales of an Independent Filmmaker from Sendai
This week’s guest is Takashi Horie, a New York-based independent filmmaker. Born in Sendai, Miyagi, he graduated from the USC School of Cinematic Arts in 1996. Since then, Horie has built a versatile career as a director, cinematographer, and editor, creating numerous award-winning music and promotional videos in the U.S. His [...]
videos
Chicago Comic Con : Reinventing Pop Culture as a Visual Language
Some say the American Empire is folding, others say it is just beginning. Regardless of your position, one cannot deny the cultural impact America currently has upon the world. With the advent of mass media in the 20th century, the stage has been set for a new cultural revolution led by the United States. Presented here is the first 20 minutes of the lecture.
PechaKucha 20×20: Reinventing Perceived Value, Space, and Time Through Modern Art
From prehistoric cave paintings to Jackson Pollack, art emotionally defines a society. Sadly, we tend to devalue art because it does not directly fulfill basic needs like food, clothing, and shelter. Artist and designer Michael Foster discusses how viewing modern art will confront someone with socially acquired patterns of feelings, thoughts, and actions—in a fairly safe environment. And he will demonstrate the secrets and motivations behind his own work.
The Reinvention Project: Articles and Essays on Technology
For several years, Michael Foster and Russell C. Smith wrote for The Huffington Post and Psychology Today about the rapid pace of technology and society. Living in the Age of Reinvention is a project aimed at the minds and hearts of everyone who is determined as never before to change their lives and become a participant in the new world of reinvention, The Reinvention Project incorporates stories, speculations and theories on current world events, twentieth and twenty-first century mass media, current social media and business trends, ancient cultures and myths, the Singularity, art and culture, discoveries in particle physics, and studies in human psychology and how we interact with new technology and the web. You can view the entire body of work on this website.
