A young woman moves to Tokyo. Her quest to find spiritual values hidden in the modern city leads her to take photographs and ends in a pilgrimage to a cemetery, remote in the mountains.

Shot amongst the neon lights and crowds of Tokyo and the ancient graves and forestry of Koyasan, THE MOUNTAIN OF SIGNS is a film homage to the Japanese literary tradition of essay, zuihitsu. Delivering a monologue based on the structure of a written essay, its female protagonist (Bonnie Huie) creates a self-portrait through her own prose poetry about the self, consciousness, and time. Directed by Mika Johnson, THE MOUNTAIN OF SIGNS assimilates still photography and autobiographical found footage into its narrative to construct a subjective, nonfiction work of auteur film. Its soundtrack features music by Justin Simon and underground folk-improv musician Chie Mukai.

2003
28 minutes
Color
Mono
English

The woman & voiceover ..... Bonnie Huie

Directed by Mika Johnson
Written and Performed by Bonnie Huie
Music by Justin Simon & Chie Mukai

2008
Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center, Auburn, NY, USA
2007
Duke University Screen/Society, Durham, NC, USA (U.S. premiere)
2003
Super Deluxe, Tokyo, Japan
Out-Lounge, Tokyo, Japan (world premiere)