# Shumei documentary at Venice Film Festival

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/shumei-documentary-at-venice-film-festival
> Updated: 2026-09-11T09:59:00.000Z. Sources: 5. Developments: 2.

The documentary film ‘Shumei: The Living Legacy of Kabuki’, directed by Takashi Miike, was featured at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival. The film chronicles the succession ceremony of the 13th Ichikawa Danjuro and the efforts of the Naritaya lineage to preserve Kabuki traditions.

During the festival, Ichikawa Danjuro promoted the project alongside director Miike and his son, Ichikawa Shinnosuke. The documentary eventually won the Best Film award in the Cinema & Arts Award category, marking the first time a Japanese film has received this specific independent award at the festival. The jury highlighted the film’s ability to portray Kabuki as a ‘comprehensive art form’.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-11: Documentary ‘Shumei’ wins Best Film at Venice International Film Festival

The documentary ‘Shumei’, directed by Takashi Miike, won Best Film at the Venice International Film Festival, marking a historic milestone for Japanese cinema by documenting Kabuki actor Ichikawa Danjuro.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/documentary-shumei-wins-best-film-at-venice-international-film-festival

### 2026-09-03: Ichikawa Danjuro promotes Kabuki documentary at Venice Film Festival

Kabuki actor Ichikawa Danjuro and son Shinnosuke attended the Venice International Film Festival to promote their documentary ‘Shumei’, featuring traditional attire on the red carpet.

5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ichikawa-danjuro-promotes-kabuki-documentary-at-venice-film-festival

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Cite as: Shumei documentary at Venice Film Festival. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/shumei-documentary-at-venice-film-festival