Documentary filmmaker Kazuhiro Soda offers a revealing examination of modern democracy with this cinema-verite-style look at how political connections have a curious way of trumping actual experience. Yamauchi Kazuhiko was a stamp and coin dealer with little charisma and even less political experience. Backed by the political powerhouse of Prime Minister Koizumi and his Liberal Democratic Party, however, the man who would have little hope of taking office on his own merit suddenly becomes the dark horse candidate to watch. As election-day draws near, the events that unfold offer fascinating insight into the inner-workings of the Japanese political machine. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

First feature docu by Gotham-based filmmaker Kazuhiro Soda ("Freezing Sunlight") is a wry, fly-on-the-wall look at local politics, Japanese style -- and in particular, the mighty machine of the country's ruling Liberal Democratic Party. One-man crew Soda follows a former Tokyo U. classmate who stands as an LDP "parachute" candidate in a crucial Kawasaki city council election in Oct. '05. Though it's a half-hour too long, the result is an insightful, ironic portrait of campaigning at street level that's fest- and cable-ready.

With the Dem primary seemingly starting already, the last thing we need is another reminder about the relentless stage management of politics. But Campaign is a window into an arcane world few of us will ever see: the electoral machine in Japan. Kazuhiko Yamauchi, a political novice, is running for an open seat on the Kawasaki City Council. Having the backing of then-Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's Liberal Democratic Party gives him advantages he's refreshingly frank about, but it also means his every move is vetted by the party brass, down to whether he refers to his spouse as "wife" or "housewife." (It's the latter.) Campaign is fascinating stuff, with Yamauchi trying to be all things to all people – but it's also hilarious. With his omnipresent sash and PA system, Yamauchi's campaign work is almost Borat-esque, as he frantically runs around, making pledges to the disinterested, including children.

"Sensation of the Berlinale"
"A grandiose introduction to the Japanese mentality"

"A parody profiling the fascinating personality of its hero"

"Rarely has a film achieved such an intimate view of the political process."

"CAMPAIGN is the very best kind of Direct Cinema."
"Despite its tragic protagonist, CAMPAIGN just may be
the funniest film in the Forum."

"Soda delivers an ingenious and intense portrait-- not only of Japan's election campaign process, but of its culture and society as well."

"CAMPAIGN, in 120 entertaining minutes,
gives us an effortless inside look at 'J-Democracy' (Japanese Democracy)."

After many years in New York as correspondent for Japan's national broadcaster NHK, documentary filmmaker Kazuhiro Soda returned to Japan to film his former classmate Kazuhiko Yamauchi as he ran for a seat on the Kawasaki city council. The resulting film, Campaign (Senkyo), paints a riotously funny, but also disturbing portrait of the mechanisms behind party politics in Japan, and particularly the workings of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which has ruled Japan for decades almost without interruption.