In the summer of 2021, Budweiser was looking for a way to authentically engage with Tokyo’s nightlife and music scene.
At PUSH Tokyo, we concepted and executed “Tokyo in Retrograde,” a short film that profiled the work of Mars89 — a musician whose uncompromising electronic compositions cemented him as one of the most unique and exciting prospects within Tokyo’s underground club circuit, and whose contribution to the city’s culture extends far beyond the dance floor.
The film touched on his music production as well as his presence within Tokyo’s activist community, where he spearheaded a series of anti-establishment “Protest Raves” that galvanized Tokyo’s youth into new, emergent strands of political engagement.
Directors: Dan Buyanovsky + Mike Sunda
DP: Seiya Uehara
AC: Leo Youlagi
Producer: Yuumi Aoyama + Michie Hamada
Edit: Andy Nagashima
Color: Victor Ivanov
Art Direction: Alice Tosey
Production: Push Japan