Invitation to Host a Screening of "Carving the Divine: Buddhist Sculptors of Japan" at Your Institution
Yujiro Seki
Dear PMJS community,
My name is Yujiro Seki, director and producer of "Carving the Divine: Buddhist Sculptors of Japan." This documentary offers a rare glimpse into a 1400-year-old Buddhist woodcarving tradition and the artisans striving to preserve this legacy in contemporary Japan: www.carvingthedivine.com
I am currently conducting an international tour with screenings at universities, museums, and community venues, and I invite you to join this initiative.
The film features modern-day Busshi (Buddhist sculptors) and their craft, presenting an authentic story where Japanese culture, tradition, art, and spirituality converge.
The art of Busshi (Butsuzo) is one of Japan's most revered and omnipresent cultural legacies. Living alongside this magnificent tradition, the Japanese people engage with themes of suffering and life's meaning through these sacred works.
"Carving the Divine" has been featured at 33 film festivals across 22 countries, winning 13 awards worldwide, including Best Director Award for a Foreign Language Documentary at World Cinema Milan. The film premiered at the prestigious Raindance Film Festival in London.
Our documentary has screened at leading academic institutions globally, including Yale University, University of Chicago, National University of Singapore, Heidelberg University, University of Hawaii Hilo, Seattle University, Tel Aviv University, Leiden University, University of Oregon, Willamette University, Saint Joseph's University, University of Virginia, Union College, North Carolina State University, University of Southern California, Colgate College, University of Philippines Diliman, University of Florida, University of South Florida, Vassar College, Metropolitan State University of Denver, University of Tennessee, Miami University, and Rochester Institute of Technology.
The film has also been featured at major academic conferences, including the American Academy of Religion Conference in San Diego (2024), the International Association of Buddhist Studies (2025), and the Association of Asian Studies Conference in Columbus, Ohio (2025).
Additionally, "Carving the Divine" has been showcased at notable cultural venues such as the San Antonio Museum of Art, Morikami Museums in Florida, Japan House in London, Master Carver Association in London, Honpa Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin, Terasaki Nibei Foundation, San Francisco Zen Center, and Pacific Film Archive in Berkeley.
"This documentary by filmmaker Yujiro Seki is a remarkable account of a contemporary busshi, a master artisan of Buddha statues, and the apprentices in his workshop. It offers an insider's peek at both the millennium-long tradition of producing icons for temples and sacred sites and the contemporary setting in which this tradition is maintained. It is eye-opening to see the diverse circumstances, some Buddhist and some not, that inspire people to take up this craft today and the extraordinary effort they expend to perfect it. This account stands at the intersection of past and present production of Buddhist images in Japan and provides insight to anyone interested in that closed world." — James C. Dobbins, Fairchild Professor Emeritus of Religion and East Asian Studies, Oberlin College
After dedicating 12 years to completing this documentary, I warmly invite you to host a screening of "Carving the Divine" at your institution. The film will leave a lasting impact on viewers and spark meaningful discussions among scholars and students alike.
If you are interested in hosting a screening of "Carving the Divine" at your institution, please contact me. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Yujiro Seki
Director, "Carving the Divine: Buddhist Sculptors of Japan"