GRIPS was honored to host the Japan premiere of the documentary film ‘Planetary’, as well as the films’ Director Guy Reid for a Q&A session on Monday December 7, 2015.

The audience of mostly GRIPS students were treated with a visually stunning film serving as a poetic and humbling reminder that it’s time as human beings to shift our perspective and remind ourselves that everything is connected in the world and that we need to respect the delicacy of the natural world.

Insights from environmentalists, theologians, scientists, researchers, and meditation teachers are beautifully complemented by imagery captured from all around the world (including Tokyo’s own Shibuya and Tsukiji Fish Market to name just two locations) and were taken over the course of two years. The meditative original score added power to the films overall aim: to make us pause for the shared wisdom and arresting views of our incredible but increasingly abused planet.

Members of the audience asked a range of questions from logistical ones about funding to the Directors preoccupation with subway networks in the film to which he responded;

‘I get a feeling that the subway is a really interesting place to take the temperature check of people, how people interact and how people are. It’s like being alone together. I feel in some regards that that’s our society now. We have traded in deep community for deep individualism and the subways are a place where you can really see that.’

The event was organized by the International Student Council (ISC) GRIPS.