Introduction

Japan. Among the countless reasons for its unique place among the world's nations is its alarmingly high suicide rate. It is a sad reality in a country with so much to offer.

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"Yukuharu - The Fading of Spring" is a short film set in Tokyo that depicts suicide's devastating effect on the living in a poetic and powerfully atypical way.

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Who is involved?

"Yukuharu" writer, director, producer and editor Jason Gray has been based in Japan for 10 years and is heavily involved in the local film industry as a translator, journalist (Screen International Japan correspondent) and consultant. (*Please see IndieGogo profile and links). With a background in filmmaking, including 4 years of film school in the 1990s, he is now returning to screenwriting and creative pursuits. "Yukuharu - The Fading of Spring" is his first major directing project in Japan.

Raised funding will be put toward hiring a Tokyo-based cinematographer with a RED digital cinema package, shooting and transportation costs over 2~3 days, and post-production/duplication.

Funds will also go toward publicity and festival submission costs. "Yukuharu" co-producer Eiko Mizuno has an extensive network of festival contacts domestically and globally. Among festivals she has worked for are the Toronto International Film Festival, Rotterdam IFF, Berlin IFF, Tokyo IFF, and Tokyo FILMeX.

Contributions

The following are the benefits contributors can expect to receive depending on the amount of contribution.

$5 - My undying gratitude! Small donations are a fantastic help.

$30 - A DVD copy of the film and a "Yukuharu" postcard ad.

$100 - A "Special Thanks" credit in the film (can also be submitted to IMDb at contributor's request), a small gift from Japan, a DVD copy of the film and a "Yukuharu" postcard ad.

$500 - "Associate Producer" credit in the film and in press notes (can also be submitted to IMDb at contributor's request), a small gift from Japan, a DVD copy of the film and a "Yukuharu" postcard ad. If you're in Tokyo, lunch is on me.

$1000 - "Executive Producer" credit in the film and all press materials, invitation to film festivals where the film is selected (contingent on festival's guest invitation policy), a copy of the script, a gift from Japan, a DVD copy of the film and a "Yukuharu" postcard ad. If you're in Tokyo, dinner (including drinks) is on me.

If funding does not reach the intended target, contributors will still receive the above-outlined benefits when the film is completed, but please understand that the April production and spring post-production schedule may be affected by the funding result. I am currently working on the screenplay and will post a short video in the near future explaining a little more about the story. Any such changes in shooting and funding will be posted as updates here on IndieGoGo.

"Yoroshiku onegaishimasu!"

Sincerely,

Jason Gray