LADY SUMO

Beyond the spectacle and ceremony of professional Sumo exists a world that even most Japanese are unaware of - female sumo wrestling. 'Lady Sumo' is a short-form documentary film about Shiina and Inaba, two women competing in the National Championships in Osaka, Japan. 

Created in parallel to a photo-essay by acclaimed sports photographer Ryu Voelkel, the film delves into the complexities and demands of the sport itself, and offers a unique perspective of what it means to both be a female competitor, and a woman in modern Japanese society more broadly.