”Side B” of the Tokyo 2020 Official Film selected for Rotterdam Film Festival

The Tokyo 2020 Official Film has been released in two parts, one depicting the Games through the eyes of the athletes (Side A), and the other from the perspective of staff and volunteers (Side B). The film, a behind-the-scenes record of the Olympic Games held last summer amid the coronavirus pandemic, depicts the unusual context in which the Games were held, in addition to the story of sport and competition. The first part, “Side A”, had its world premiere in May this year, at the prestigious Festival de Cannes.

“While Side A of the film focuses on the athletes and the new sports that made their debut at Tokyo 2020, Side B showcases how the Olympics were held during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said the director Kawase.

“How did they overcome the challenge of conducting the sports festival that was postponed by a year, without spectators? I wanted to convey to generations living 100 years from now how we overcame this rare challenge, and I wanted to do it through the gaze of a child.”