Campaign

2007, Kazuhiro Soda, 120 minutes

In the fall of 2005, 40-year-old, self-employed Kazuhiko "Yama-san" Yamauchi's peaceful, humdrum life was turned upside-down. Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) suddenly chose him as its official candidate to run for a vacant seat on the Kawasaki city council. Yama-san had zero experience in politics, no charisma, no supporters, no constituency, and no time to prepare for the impending election. The election was critical for the LDP: Yama-san's loss would automatically oust the LDP from its position as the dominant political party on the council. The LDP organized a fierce campaign team consisting of every LDP politician from the Kawasaki region to fight an intense battle against the party's opponents. Can Yama-san win this heated race? Through its candid, cinéma vérité camerawork, this rare, detailed documentary of a Japanese election reveals the true nature of “democracy.” The film was awarded the Best Film Award at the Belgrade International Documentary Film Festival, 2009.