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Kawauso

Berlinale Shorts 2024
© Studio Mangosteen
A girl walks through the tall grass. An otter catches up with her and joins her on her walk. The two try in vain to communicate with each other. Humanity’s junk is slowly raining down from the sky and threatens to bury everything beneath it. The otter leaves the scene. A farewell song, drawn in delicate black and white.
The Japanese otter has been considered extinct since 2012. Kawauso, which is Japanese for otter, is a popular character in Japanese folklore.
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by Akihito Izuhara (Director, Screenplay), Ikuko Mizokami (Screenplay) Japan 2023 Japanese 15' International premiere | Animation

Crew

Director Akihito Izuhara
Screenplay Akihito Izuhara, Ikuko Mizokami
Editing Akihito Izuhara
Music Soragoro Uwanosuke
Sound Design Tetsuro Nishi
Animation Akihito Izuhara
Producer Akihito Izuhara

Produced by

Studio Mangosteen

Photos

Akihito Izuhara

Born in the prefecture of Gifu in Japan in 1964. His films and video installations have been presented in exhibitions in Japan since 1990. He was invited to the Berlinale for the first time in 2010 with his short film Akai Mori no Uta. In 2012, he returned to Berlinale Shorts with LI.LI.TA.AL., and in 2016 with Vita Lakamaya which, in 2025, is being re-screened as part of the “You and I Are Not Alone – Berlinale Shorts Revisited” jubilee programme. His work most recently featured in Berlinale Shorts in 2024 with Kawauso.

Filmography (short films)

2005 Serunefu (Selnef) 2007 Chiisana Tokage (Topy and Little Creature) 2008 Kagayaku Ki (Brilliant Tree) · Akai mori no uta (The Song of Red Forest) 2011 LI.LI.TA.AL. 2016 Vita Lakamaya 2023 Kawauso

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2025