Sayaka Kai

Director

Date of Birth

March 12, 1979

English level

Conversational level

Career

Graduate of Joshibi University of Art and Design. Sayaka has been working on film and theater as  assistant director and production design since she was in her teens.
She co-directed “BORDERLINE” (2000) and “pellet” (2001), which was invited and won several  awards at film festivals such as Santa Fe Short Film Festival, Oberhausen International Film Festival,and Rotterdam International Film Festival. Since then, she has created short films with powerful themes  and beautiful imagery.
Short film “Ondine’s Curse” (2014), which pursued the Japanese Noh and human psychology, won  Semi-Grand Prix at Yamagata International Film Festival 2014 and Honorable Mention Award at SKIP  City International D-Cinema Festival 2015. Not just domestically but it was highly praised oversea as  well, at Maison de Culture du Japon in Paris.
Her first feature film “Red Snow” (2019) Marrakech International Film Festival 2018 Competition Section.  She also received Best Picture Award and Best Actress Award at Los Angeles Japan Film Festival 2019,  and Up-and-Coming Director Grand Prix at Tasaki International Film Festival 2019.
She has also written two novels, “Red Snow” (2019 / Kadokawa Soten) and “Shelter” (2020 / “Bungeishunju”  July Edition, Supplementary Volume).