SUMO: Spirit Weighs Nothing

Erik Shirai / Japan, United States, United Kingdom / 2026 / Czech Premiere / 99 min.

synopsis

Erik Shirai enters the insular world of Japanese sumo, following four wrestlers – from a teenage newcomer to a champion whose body bears the marks of years of extreme strain. While a bout may end in seconds, preparing for it takes a lifetime. Carefully composed images of ritual and training alternate with moments of exhaustion, doubt and pain. Childhood dreams are likewise set against the price that these men now pay to fulfil them. This portrait of a traditional sport rooted in discipline and self-control reveals an unrelenting tension between spiritual calling and physical sacrifice.

“As I got deeper and deeper, making the film, I realized that there are so many misconceptions about sumo.” — Erik Shirai, The Hollywood Reporter

Source: 'Sumo: Spirit Weighs Nothing' Doc Film Clip, Interview About Japan

biography

Erik Shirai is a Japanese-American filmmaker working between New York and Tokyo. His feature debut, The Birth of Saké (2015), won the documentary directing award at Tribeca. His short documentary Nowhere to Go But Everywhere (2022) premiered at Rotterdam and won an award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.