A Color I Named Blue | Screening with Director's Talk

Presented by the Japan Information & Culture Center, Embassy of Japan and the Austrian Cultural Forum

Join us for a special short film screening and Q&A with the director.

In collaboration with the Austrian Cultural Forum, the JICC is pleased to welcome director Sybilla Patrizia live from Tokyo to discuss her short film A Color I Named Blue and dyeing traditions in Japan and Austria. The film follows two Japanese indigo dyers who embark on a transformative inner journey: one uncovers the profound meaning within the hues of blue, while the other finds a new way to see through his colorblindness. Driven by the memory of a color he cannot forget, Watanabe dedicates his life to recreating Japan’s most perfect shade of indigo. Fate introduces him to Kato, a young artisan who is colorblind. As both men embark on their inner journeys, we witness the deeply personal story of Japan’s most iconic color and uncover the emotional and physical transformations that create this shade of blue.

If you want a chance to get some hands-on experience, please consider our Indigo Dyeing Workshop at 2:30PM the same day.

Sybilla Patrizia

Sybilla Patrizia is an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker and photographer from Austria, based in Tokyo.

In her work, she merges her passion for social impact and human stories with her background in fashion to create thought-provoking stories that cross the border between documentary, art and design.

Sybilla filmed VICE’s ’ which won a News&Documentary Emmy in 2023. Her short film ‘A Color I Named Blue’ about two Japanese indigo dyers premiered in competition at Sheffield DocFest, Palm Springs, and at DC/DOX in 2025.

She also served as Japan Unit Director on ‘Our New World’, a feature documentary about communities around the world adapting to climate change, featuring Japan’s Ama free divers and their fight to save disappearing seaweed beds. Sybilla is currently in post-production of her feature film “ which deals with the global waste issue through the eyes of Japan’s traditional packaging artists and waste workers.

As a multilingual creative who has lived in 7 countries across 3 continents, Sybilla has worked with international media and brands including BBC, VICE, Financial Times, adidas, AnOther Magazine, NHK, Amazon Prime, and NETFLIX.

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This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required for security purposes. Program begins at 7:00PM. Doors open 30 minutes prior. No admittance after 7:30 PM or once seating is full. Registered guests will be seated on a first come, first served basis. Please note that seating is limited and registration does not guarantee guests a seat.

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