Iwanami Productions

Film still from Snow Crystals (1958) 14min, Iwanami, Tanoshii Kagaku series. Produced by Shigeharu Yoshino, directed by Chonosuke Ise
Film still from Snow Crystals (1958) 14min, Iwanami, Tanoshii Kagaku series. Produced by Shigeharu Yoshino, directed by Chonosuke Ise
© Image courtesy of Documentary Film Preservation Center, Japan

Iwanami Productions was a film production company founded by Ukichiro Nakaya in 1950, specializing in educational and scientific films in biology, chemistry, entomology, and public health. Using new cinematographic and narrative techniques, as well as a focus on the subjectivity of the depicted characters, Iwanami shaped a distinct style that influenced not only the active postwar Japanese film scene, but also international documentary filmmaking. During its 48-year history, Iwanami produced nearly 8,000 films. For this exhibition, the Harvard Film Archive has restored a selection of films.