Filmmakers with overseas experience or backgrounds are no longer that rare in Japan, but, at only 33 years old, Akio Fujimoto’s international credentials are exceptional.

When the Osaka native left his hometown for Tokyo almost 10 years ago, he became acquainted with members of the Myanmar community. Based on the stories they told him, he scripted and shot his first feature, “Passage of Life.” Depicting the struggles of a family from Myanmar in both Tokyo and Yangon, the film premiered at the 2017 Tokyo International Film festival, where it won Best Asian Future Film and The Spirit of Asia Award.

Akimoto’s relationship with the country extended beyond the film: He married a woman from Myanmar and, before the pandemic, divided his time between Tokyo and Yangon, where he worked on programs for public broadcaster NHK.