Stretching what would have made a delightfully compelling short film into a feature of unbearable length, From All Corners feels like the worst kind of branded content, repeatedly stopping to promote the sustainability initiatives of companies like Ace Hotels, North Face, and the efforts of the subject himself: Japanese cardboard artist Fuyuki Shimazu. That type of “advertisement first” filmmaking is fine for a YouTube ad that’s hoping you won’t press “skip ad,” but for a feature film, it’s problematic.
Worse still, From All Corners can be maddeningly dull, despite the passion of Shimazu. It’s mesmerizing to watch him work, learning the origins behind certain containers that we take for granted and meet some of his heroes, but it can only sustain a certain running time. Commercial director Ryusuke Okajima’s feature film debut feels stretched out far beyond the TV episode-length of worthwhile material here.
Shimazu’s work is the star here and fashioning wallets from recycled cardboard has caught the attention of brands seeking to capitalize on authentic street art to peddle their wares. Shimazu has, in turn, used his increased popularity to stage summits about recycling. One such summit takes place at the Ace Hotel, where Okajima interviews management in a long, awkward interview that makes me question who funded this picture.
The artist originally started making wallets because he couldn’t afford one, stripping cardboard boxes to their bare elements, but now he’s creating intricately bound wallets, business card holders, and change purses that retail for upwards of $100 or more. And that’s to say nothing of him leading sustainability workshops where he teaches others how to craft these unique wallets.
Along the way, he also becomes fascinated with an adorable Potato box, insisting on seeing the hand-cut rubber contact plates at its factory. Later in the film, he has a touching encounter with Hitoshi Maruo, the designer of the box whose health has been rapidly in decline. When pressed for the inspiration behind the product, Maruo simply states it was another assignment. This approach also mirrors Okajima’s film, which feels like another branded content assignment in style and approach rather than a straight-forward documentary that’s genuinely interested in its subject and serving its audience.
From All Corners premiered at SXSW 2018.