The Burning Star Kenji Onishi, 1996

A Burning Star (1995) depicts the physicality of destruction and disappearance through images of the Japanese filmmakers father who dies and is cremated. Maintaining a solid rhythm and perspective, this film highlights the meaning and importance of viewing and filming in documentary. The camera is the most important aspect of the absolute process of expression, a personal way adopting an Onishi style camera eye. In A Burning Star (Shosei), the inner conflicts find a cruel form. Through the camera he comes to terms with his fathers death. Its only natural that a person should tremble, hesitate, feel sad and be afraid. The second half of the full length version shows the body being burnt as the camera (double Super8, later transferred to 16mm) sits in front of the open door to the fire and records the body melting, the bones crumbling and turning to ashes. Onishi has said that the camera is the most important aspect of the absolute process of expression.