Katsuya Tomita is born in 1972 in the city of Kofu (Japan). After graduating from high school, he saves money to make films by working as a construction worker and a truck driver, using his childhood friends as actors. For three years, using an 8mm camera, he spends his weekends making his first film, Above the Clouds, which is released in 2003. With the award he wins for this film, he shoots Off Highway 20 (2007) on 16mm. In 2008, he decides to make Saudade (2011), basing the story in his hometown of Kofu. This film is shown at the Festival del film Locarno and wins the Montgolfière d'or at the Festival des 3 Continents in France.
Locarno Festival
