Tokyo Idols

dir. Kyoko Miyake / 2016 / United Kingdom, Canada / 89min.
An exploration of Japan’s fascination with girl bands and their music follows an aspiring pop singer and her fans, delving into the cultural obsession with young female sexuality

Girl bands and pop music permeate almost every aspect of life in Japan today. Musical groups made up of cute girls who perform in perfectly choreographed shows with music called "Japanese pop" are hugely popular here. In addition to their dizzying careers, especially on the Internet, souvenirs and all kinds of gadgets with their image on them are an additional source of income. With such a huge variety of female vocalists, business is booming, and the atmosphere around the young starlets is heated by scandals and romance. Demand for this type of industry is not only among young girls who want to look like their idols - it's also a very popular fetish among middle-aged Japanese men.

duration:
89 min
country / year of production:
United Kingdom, Canada / 2016
director:
Kyoko Miyake
cinematography:
Van Royko
selected festivals and awards:
2017 - Sundance FF, 2016 - IDFA Amterdam
sections:
Places Fetish and Culture 20 LEGENDARY FILMS FOR MDAG'S 20TH ANNIVERSARY!
tags:
psychology music pop culture relations growing up Far East

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