"Champion: Ryoyu Kobayashi"
The brief was to shape a feature-length documentary from partially shot material for broadcast on Abema TV in Japan. Existing footage included unused material from Ryoyu Kobayashi’s Iceland record jump, alongside behind-the-scenes access from the World Cup ski jumping season. Further filming with the athlete and his coach took place during the off-season.
Rather than a celebratory athlete profile, the film was conceived as a character-driven story with emotional depth. It was structured around the 2024–25 season, one of the most difficult periods of Kobayashi’s career since his breakthrough. By focusing on moments of uncertainty and self-doubt, the documentary explores the inner life of an elite athlete under pressure, revealing how resilience and identity are shaped through adversity. The result is a more intimate, human portrait that engages audiences beyond performance and results.
Client: Red Bull
Production: Fu Films
Producer/Director/Editor: Eiji Iwakawa (Fu Films)
DOP: Nobutaka Shirahama
Producers: Joseph George, Jean Mare, Abby Hall
Scope:
Story development, narrative structure, editorial direction, additional filming, post production (offline/online)
Deliverables:
Feature-length documentary for broadcast
Feature-length documentary for broadcast
