Bento (Student Film)

Konnichiwa! We are 3rd year students at Auckland University of Technology who came together to make the short film “Bento”.

Bento is a story inspired by director Mirei Nakamura's Japanese background and her relationship with bento. We are all super excited to make the film come to life and share the story with everyone! BUT to make this happen, we need your help! Since we are students, we need as much support as possible. This fundraising can help achieve a higher quality film, and we can care for our awesome crew and cast. Be a part of our journey today and indulge in the beauty of bento!

How it all started:

I’ve always wanted to make a story related to Japanese food, to show my love for it, but also as a reminder of my childhood. Growing up as a Japanese person in Aotearoa, my mum had always made bento throughout my school life (thanks, mum!). I loved bringing bento and even got myself into bento making. But at the same time, I was disappointed with the judgement I received at school. Countless times, I was confused as to why we couldn’t accept the beauty of each culture. Why did the difference disgust people so much?

"I believe food is a form of love, it connects you and the person who made it and everyone around it. Food is rich in culture and something worth sharing! Food shouldn’t be a barrier to hold up against your culture. I hope “Bento” will help people who are experiencing something similar by telling them, “I get you! That you are not alone!” - Mirei <3

Your contribution counts!

To go forward with “Bento” we need the funding. We are currently starting with no budget, so no matter how small or big the donation, it will greatly help us.

Here’s where our money will go:

Koha 

Our actors are from Japanese communities who have volunteered to work with us. We want to give them the best care and show our appreciation.

Costumes and Props

We have a particular aesthetic that we are aiming for in this film. We will have school scenes and need uniforms for our cast. (We need to assemble these ourselves as using uniforms from real world schools isn't an option)

We are also aiming for a Japanese house aesthetic, which we need to get hold of some props.

Ingredients

Bento is a huge focus in the film. The director and her parents will be in charge of cooking but we need fresh ingredients to make it.

Catering

To ensure a healthy and happy set, we need to feed our cast and crew! We will be filming for a couple of days, and we want to keep them motivated with delicious food.

Locations

Small portions will go to the specific locations we need to make this film come to life!

Film Festival

Entering film festivals cost money but we don’t want that to stop us from sharing the story!

Meet the crew!

Mirei Nakamura | Writer and Director

Wes Broome | Producer

Marc Mansfield | Cinematographer

Executive Producer | Elizabeth Hoyle

We appreciate your time looking through and donating; it means a lot! You are part of our journey and would love to show our gratitude by putting your name on the end credits! Thank you so much!