Natsumi Sugiyama Bio

Natsumi Sugiyama's Bio

Originally from Japan, Natsumi Sugiyama has been a member of the famous Tokyo-based theatre company Ku na'uka under the leadership of artistic director Satoshi Miyagi. As a member, she performed many leads, such as Narukami in the play of the same name, "Helen of Troy," and "Electra," to name a few. Before her involvement with Ku na'uka, she performed under renowned director Tadashi Suzuki in "Kachikachiyama," "Ivanov," and "Cinderella," etc. She has also performed nationally and internationally in various highly prestigious theatre festivals such as The Theatre Olympics in Delphi, Greece, The Beseto Festival in Neiha, China, The Nikan Festival in Seoul, Korea, and The International Theatre Festival of New Delhi, India. She has performed "The Tale of Mephisto" at the Asian Performing Art Festival in Gimhae, South Korea. She also created "Medea," a new piece with director Antony Sandoval for the theatre. Later, Antony Sandoval re-adapted this piece into the featurette film "Medea Redux." in which she was the lead actress.

Medea Redux was a 2016 Royal Reel Winner in the Experimental Film Competition Canada International Film Festival, a Winner of the 2015 Award of Merit Accolade Global Film Competition in the Experimental Section, and part of the official selection for the 2016 Madrid International Film Festival, 2016 San Francisco International New Concept Film Festival and 2015 Hong Kong Pineapple Underground Film Festival. In 2021, it won Best Director at the 2021 Monza Film Festival in Monza, Italy.

Her next project, Incarnation, received an Honorable Mention at the 2022 Tokyo International Short Film Festival (TISFF) and is part of the 2023 Toronto Indie Filmmakers Festival Official Selection.

Her latest project Strange Beast also received an Honorable Mention at the 2023 Tokyo International Short Film Festival (TISFF), was in the Official Selection of the 2023 Seattle Film Maker Awards, was a Semi-Finalist in the Best Experimental Film category in the 2023 Santa Fe Independent Film Festival, a Semi-Finalist in the Best Experimental Film category in the 2023 Vienna Indie Short Film Festival, a Semi-Finalist in the Best Experimental Film category at the 2023 Rotterdam Independent Film Festival, a Semi-Finalist in the 2023 Dubai Independent Film Festival, a Semi-Finalist in the Best Experimental Film category in the 2023 Berlin Shorts Award, a Semi-Finalist at the 2023 Madrid Arthouse Film Festival, a Quarter-Finalist at the 2023 Vancouver International Movie Awards, was a 2023 Toronto Indie Filmmakers Festival Winner for Best Director in the Dance Film category, and won Best Cinematography at the 2023 Short Film Munich Awards. She also won Best Actress for this project at the 2023 Summer Monte Carlo Film Awards and won Best Actress at the 2023 Paris International Short Festival.