Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo
Animal Kingdom
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1h 30m
Directed by Jessica Oreck • Documentary • With Takeshi Yoro • 2010 • 90 minutes
Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo delves into the mystery of Japan's age-old love affair with insects. From the first fabled emperor who dubbed Japan the "Isle of the Dragonflies," to the cricket-selling businesses of the 1800s, and finally to modern-day Tokyo where a beetle recently sold for $90,000, insects inspire an enthusiasm in Japan seen nowhere else in the world.
Interspersed with the philosophies of Dr. Takeshi Yoro, one of Japan's best-selling authors and anatomists, and laced with poetry, literature, and art inspired by insects, the film is a quiet rhythmic observation of traditional Japanese values, particularly the intense appreciation of something so seemingly mundane. It challenges filmgoers to observe the world from an uncommon perspective that might not only change the way we think about bugs, but about life.
Nominated for an Independent Spirit Award and Winner of Cinema Eye Spotlight Award.
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