When the Fire Sleeps

Runtime: 93'

Expected Release: Q1 2027

Production Stage: Post-Production

1st Feature: Yes

Looking for: Festivals, Distributors, Gap Financing

Synopsis:

For generations, young Japanese girls have performed Chigo no Mai, a sacred dance said to calm Mount Fuji. The ritual lives on through Keiko, a widowed dance master entrusted with its legacy. But when a new priest questions her authority, doubt spreads, threatening the fragile balance that keeps the volcano at bay.

Director’s Profile:

Eri Mizutani is a director from Kyoto who has made Poland her second home for the last 10 years. She graduated from TAMA Art University in Tokyo and excelled in film directing at the Polish National Film School in Łódź. Her short documentary Their Voices was selected for BBC LongShots Film Festival and DOK Leipzig Panorama, and awarded at the 21st MECAL Pro Barcelona, among others. Daughter of Fuji won Best Pitch at the prestigious European Work in Progress during Film Festival Cologne, took part in the Polish Docs Pro showcase at IDFA 2020, and has received international recognition at DMZ, Sunny Side of the Doc and DOK Leipzig, among others.

Producer’s Profile:

Sara Skrodzka is a Paris-based producer and archival producer, and a partner at Warboys Films, which she joined in 2023. She is currently developing a diverse range of projects that leverage her extensive experience in international productions and archival work. Sara is passionate about supporting projects by committed, inclusive creators and is dedicated to championing both emerging and established filmmakers. Among the films she has worked on is Johan Grimonprez’s Oscar-nominated documentary Soundtrack to a Coup d’État, which premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. The film won the World Cinema Documentary Award at the 2024 Sofia International Film Festival, as well as the Audience Award in 2024.Her most recent production includes Closure by Michał Marczak, which premiered at Sundance 2026 and won the Golden Alexander at the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival.