Takeshi Kogahara graduated from Art Center College of Design in the US and began making music videos and commercials. He started his career at Wieden + Kennedy Tokyo Lab, where he edited and directed music videos, music live videos, and web movies. In 2011, he was selected for Adfest Fabulous Four New Director Award and started directing TV commercials at AOI Pro. Since 2015, he has been represented by CluB_A (Tokyo, Japan) and his TV commercials screened and were awarded at Cannes Lions, One show, Ad Stars, Adfest and other commercial festivals. Also His short film, “Birdland” won the best short award at Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia and was selected for short film candidates at the annual Academy Awards®. In recent years, his feature film script, “Nagisa” was selected for Sundance Institute/ NHK Screenwriting workshop and selected for Berlinale Talents Tokyo 2019. In 2022, The feature film, “Nagisa” screened at San Sebastian Film Festival and won Special Mention at Torino Film Festival. 
 
Currently Takeshi is working on his 2nd feature film script and also his next short film about sexual addiction under covid pandemic is now in the post production.  

Awards

・Nagisa (feature film) (2021 87min)
　Torino Film Festival 2022 Special Mention
　San Sebastian Film Festival 2022
　Tokyo International Film Festival 2021
 
・Birdland (short film) (2019 20min)
　Busan International Film Festival 2019 / Shortshorts film festival & asia 2019 Best Japanese Short award / 
　A candidate for the Academy Awards Short Film Categories

・NAGISA (short film) (2017, 18min)
　Busan International Film Festival 2017 / Asiana International Short Film Festival/
　Concorto Film Festival / Kyoto International Film Festival / Shortshorts film festival & asia 2017 etc
 
・Electrolux Japan Ergothree 43 dB Symphony (online commercial film) (2011 4min) 
　‘11 NewYork Festival FILM category finalist /DIGITAL category Viral finalist, One Show DESIGN category Merit/ BRANDED ENTERTAINMENT category Merit Busan International Advertising 　Festival Film category Furniture/houseware SILVER

・Relations COGOO SADDLE BLOSSOMS (online commercial film) (2014 3min)
　’14 CANNES PR LIONS SILVER Promo&Activation shortlist
　’14 NewYork Festival DESIGNF category finalist /DIRECT&COLLATERAL category finalist/ One Show DESIGNF category Merit/ BRANDED ENTERTAINMENT category Merit/ Busan 　International Advertising Festival SILVER award in 7 categories including Film, design, PR category

・THROUGH LIVES (short film) (2011 6min)
　’11 Adfest Fabulous4, LA SHORTFILM FEST, Athens International Digital Film Festival, SHORTSHORTS FILM FEST etc

©Takeshi Kogahara