Naomi Kawase (河瀨直美 Kawase Naomi, born May 30, 1969) is a Japanese film director. She graduated from Visual Arts Osaka in 1989. Many of her works have been documentaries, including Embracing, about her search for the father who abandoned her as a child, and Katatsumori, about the grandmother who raised her. Aside from being a filmmaker, she is the founder and Executive Director for the Nara International Film Festival.
2026Echoes of MotherhoodMovie
2026Transit in FlamingoMovieExecutive Producer
2026The Wolf, the Fox, and the LeopardMovieas Tanaka
2025Emergency ExitMovie2025Yakushima's IllusionMovieDirector · Writer
2023Beyond the FogMovieProducer
2023echoMovieDirector
2022Official Film of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 Side BMovieDirector
2022Official Film of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 Side AMovieDirector2021Tracing Her ShadowMovieExecutive Producer
2021What Kento Nakajima Wants to Know About Movies NowTV show1 episodes2020True MothersMovieDirector · Screenplay · Director of Photography2020HomemadeTV showDirector · 1 episodes
2020It Stopped RainingMovieas Koyomi's Mother
2019The Nikaidos' FallMovieExecutive Producer
2018The MoonMovieDirector · Writer2018VisionMovieDirector · Writer · Producer
2018Cinema FightersMovieDirector · Writer
2018Parallel WorldMovieDirector
2017Where Does the Sand Go?MovieDirector · Writer2017RadianceMovieDirector · Screenplay
2016AmamiMovieas Self · Director
2016LiesMovieDirector
2016SeedMovieDirector · Writer2015A Midsummer's FantasiaMovieProducer2015Sweet BeanMovieScreenplay · Director · Associate Producer
2015AmamiMovieas Narrator (voice) · Director
2014Reel Herstory: The Real Story of Reel WomenMovieas Self2014Still the WaterMovieDirector · Screenplay · Editor · Producer
2013The Tale of IyaMovieas Dr. Amamiya
2013Shining Besides Funny MoonMovie
2012Hikaru Utada: Sakura NagashiMovieDirector
2012TraceMovieas Self · Director · Writer · Editor · Director of Photography2012HanezuMovieDirector · Screenplay · Producer · Director of Photography · Editor201160 Seconds of Solitude in Year ZeroMovieDirector
20113.11 A Sense of Home FilmsMovieDirector
2011Destroy ViciousMovie
2010GenpinMovieDirector · Writer · Producer
2009KomaMovieDirector
2009HaikuMovieDirector2008NanayoMovieDirector · Screenplay · Producer · Editor
2008Rien ne s'effaceMovieas elle-même2007The Mourning ForestMovieDirector · Screenplay · Producer2006Birth/MotherMovieas Self · Director · Director of Photography
2004Women Make FilmsMovieas Self2003SharaMovieas Reiko · Director · Writer
2002Letter from a Yellow Cherry BlossomMovieas Self · Director · Writer · Editor · Director of Photography2001Sky, Wind, Fire, Water, EarthMovieas Self · Director · Writer · Editor · Director of Photography
2001FireflyMovieDirector · Writer · Music · Editor
1999KaleidoscopeMovieas Self · Director · Director of Photography · Editor · Writer
1998The WealdMovieDirector · Writer · Producer · Editor · Director of Photography
1998Welcome Back For An Extracurricular Lesson, SempaiTV showas Self · 1 episodes
1998Love & PopMovieas Woman speaking to Hiromi (voice)1997SuzakuMovieDirector · Writer
1996Sun on the HorizonMovieas Self · Director · Writer · Camera Operator
1996This World (A Correspondence Between Naomi Kawase and Hirokazu Koreeda)MovieDirector
1995See HeavenMovieas Self · Director1994KatatsumoriMovieas Self · Director · Producer · Director of Photography · Editor · Writer
1993White MoonMovieDirector1992EmbracingMovieas Self · Director · Director of Photography · Editor · Sound Recordist · Producer · Writer
1991Like HappinessMovieDirector
1990The Girls' Daily BreadMovieDirector
1989My Sole FamilyMovieDirector
1989A Small LargenessMovieDirector
1989Presently,MovieDirector
1988The Concretization of These Things Flying Around MeMovieDirector
1988Papa's Ice CreamMovieDirector
1988My J-W-FMovieDirector
1988I Focus on That Which Interests MeMovieDirector