We were so excited to sit down with Temple Film and Media Arts alum Kimi Takesue (MFA ’00) to congratulate her on her recent inclusion in the Criterion Collection and to reflect on a career shaped by experimentation and observational storytelling.
An independent filmmaker and professor at Rutgers University–Newark, Takesue traces her creative foundation back to her time at Temple where she first developed the practical and conceptual tools that would define her work.
She recalls being drawn to the program for its rigor. Says Takesue, “I was so impressed with the quality of the students. They seemed very serious-minded in what they were doing.”
That environment reinforced her early desire to pursue filmmaking as both an intellectual and artistic discipline—while also pushing her toward a more hands-on, materially grounded approach to production.
A pivotal influence during her time at Temple was recently retired cinematography instructor Warren Bass, whose 16mm film course played a decisive role in shaping her artistic identity. The class, which asked students to shoot and process their own work, introduced Takesue to the tactile unpredictability of analog filmmaking.
“It really is this moment of complete stress and excitement when you're waiting to see that roll projected,” she said. “That class helped me discover abilities I didn’t know I had.”
Takesue credits that experience with establishing a lifelong practice of working across multiple roles—director, cinematographer, editor, and sound recordist—often within a single project. This self-sufficient approach would become a defining feature of her career.
Her early student film Rosewater, which she describes as emerging from a series of experimental exercises, reflects what she calls a “collage-like” method of storytelling. Combining disparate visual ideas—found objects, staged scenarios, and long takes—the film ultimately came together through a process of discovery rather than strict pre-planning.
“I often approach films as pieces I put together,” she explained. “They evolve through fragments that find a connective thread.”
That openness to structure, she noted, extends across her broader body of work, which frequently blends narrative and documentary strategies while maintaining an experimental sensibility. What began as an interest in cultural studies and identity politics gradually shifted, she said, toward a desire to create work that was more experiential and less purely theoretical in its expression.
A major turning point came when a planned fiction feature project centered on her grandfather never materialized. The material she gathered during that process instead became the basis for a new direction in her work—one that leaned toward observational documentary and a more personal, reflective mode of filmmaking.
Following that shift, Takesue committed to a practice that prioritizes intimacy and flexibility, often producing films with minimal budgets and small crews—sometimes just herself.
“I really am making films in a very self-sufficient way,” she said. “They can evolve organically without a set of expectations burdening the project.”
That approach, she added, has allowed her work to travel widely, screen at international festivals and, more recently, reach audiences through the Criterion Collection—a milestone she describes as one of the highest forms of recognition for a filmmaker.
“The Criterion Collection represents the filmmakers I respect most in cinema history and contemporary cinema,” she said. “To be recognized in that context is the utmost honor.”
For Takesue, inclusion in Criterion is not only a professional achievement but also a validation of handmade, independent cinema in a cultural landscape often defined by commercial scale and visibility.
In addition to her filmmaking, Takesue has spent much of her career as an educator, a role she views as closely aligned with her creative philosophy. She emphasizes helping students identify their own perspectives and avoid imitation, encouraging them to recognize the value of their individual histories and experiences.
“My job as an educator is to help students identify what is special about their point of view,” she said. “And to stay true to that.”
Looking ahead, Takesue acknowledged that her current work is shaped by personal reflection and grief following the loss of her partner of 25 years. While she is unsure what form her next projects will take, she noted that life experience will inform her creative process.
“In time, I will probably make a piece that relates in some way to my grief,” she said. “Right now, I’m focusing on healing and finishing existing work.”
Despite the challenges facing independent filmmakers today—including limited funding structures and shifting industry support—Takesue remains grounded in a philosophy of adaptability and persistence.
“It’s important to be resourceful and creative,” she said. “A lot can be achieved with minimal means.”
As both artist and educator, Takesue continues to return to values she honed at Temple including her curiosity, experimentation, and a commitment to personal vision. For her, filmmaking is not only a profession, it becomes a way of observing the world with patience, attention, and care and presenting those observations to audiences for them to interpret.
It was a true pleasure to connect with Kimi and talk meaningfully about her work. Check out her filmography available in its entirety on the Criterion Channel!