I was in charge of the filming direction for the NIC AWARD 2025, hosted by the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Japan. The NIC AWARD is a project aimed at fostering talent in the fashion industries of both Japan and Italy, and at discovering emerging Italian fashion designers who will lead the next generation.

A quiet visual piece exploring solitude and stillness. Created by a small, passionate team, each frame carries a quiet gaze and restrained emotion. Part of a creative collaboration between a tobacco brand and an apparel label — this film captures a subtle moment where style meets introspection.

The joy of playing with miniature cars as a child. We brought that sense of immersion and excitement to the screen by fusing the warmth of handcraft with modern technology. The art direction was built by the director and production team using reclaimed materials. The character and background illustrations were also developed through repeated trial and error, down to the paper quality, printing, and finishing methods, in pursuit of textures that would suit the world of the film. Working with a small crew, we brought AI in as a “partner” for processes beyond our capacity. Rather than using the generated output as-is, we layered it with human touch, warmth, and texture, carefully bringing out the contours of each material. Taking into account the product’s size and structural constraints, we carried out extensive testing in the planning of the direction, aiming to create a cohesive on-set environment.