Ishihara Umi is regarded in Japan and abroad for the unique style of her films that are in equal parts documentary and fiction, developing personal experiences into universal narratives. While her previous work has been revolving around themes of love, gender and insanity, based on the artist’s own experiences, in 2021 Ishihara explored new territory with Gravity and Radiance, a movie set in a church and starring people from a Christian organization that supports needy persons in Kita-Kyushu. Unveiled at the festival, in addition to a selection of her short films, is a “documentary” version of that movie with additional footage introducing the activities of the support organization, and the daily routine of the people who appear in the original movie. It is up to the viewer to decide whether these sceneries as extensions of daily life are depictions of heaven or hell.