Makoto Nagahisa

Makoto Nagahisa is a visionary director whose work functions as a kaleidoscope of contemporary anxiety and technicolor whimsy. Emerging from a prolific career in advertising, he translates the frantic, hyper-kinetic energy of commercial aesthetics into deeply human narratives that pulse with rhythmic precision. His visual language is characterized by an unapologetic embrace of artifice, utilizing meticulous compositions and pop-infused palettes to dissect the surreal isolation of modern life in Japan. His directorial breakthrough, the short film And So We Put Goldfish in the Pool, captured global attention for its deadpan melancholy and stylistic audacity, earning the Short Film Jury Award at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. He expanded his singular, kaleidoscopic vision with his debut feature, We Are Little Zombies, a sprawling, punk-rock odyssey that solidified his reputation as a formidable auteur. Through his work, Nagahisa crafts cinematic constellations that are as structurally complex as they are emotionally resonant, forever mapping the intersection of digital ennui and the persistent, beating heart of youth.