On Wednesday, Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific hosted a press event in Tokyo to announce the upcoming premiere of Super Japan – a five-part Discovery Channel series featuring documentaries by winners of the First Time Filmmakers (FTFM) Japan initiative. Super Japan documents the country’s progressions and obsessions and pays tribute to highlights of the Japanese culture – including a look at the world’s biggest pop group, the national obsession with ramen, incredibly punctual mass transit, ingenious engineering innovations and the future of the 5,000-year-old Ama diving tradition.
FTFM Japan is a project designed to help develop the documentary making skills of local filmmakers, by providing them with the opportunity to work with Discovery to produce compelling films for a regional and global audience. The series, produced in partnership with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Japan (MIC) is a continuation of this long-running Discovery Channel initiative.
Event guests enjoyed a preview of the films as well as a meet and greet with the five filmmakers who shared personal experiences from their film production. Additionally, Japanese free-diver Ai Futaki, who holds two Guinness World Records for the longest distance swam in an underwater cave in one breath, made a special appearance to discuss her role in the ‘Sea Whisperers’ episode of Super Japan.
Super Japan premieres on Discovery Channel Japan on March 3, and across the Asia-Pacific region shortly thereafter.
Five winning filmmakers (seated) with Discovery executives, Japanese government officials and diver Ai Futaki
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Special appearance by Ai Futaki, Guinness World Record Diver
