If the name Atsushi Funahashi doesn't ring any bells in the Japanese film industry, it's mainly because the domestic film scene had never been his primary concern.
"I've lived and worked in New York for nine years," says the 32-year-old native Osakan and graduate of the New York School of Visual Arts.
After working on a series of documentaries, his debut feature, "Echoes" (2002), opened in the East Village of New York City, and put his name on the map of upcoming young indie directors.