In brief, Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo is a documentary about bugs. Before you say “Eeeww!” — it is also, according to filmmaker Jessica Oreck, “a labyrinthine meditation on nature, beauty, philosophy, and Japanese culture [that] might just make you question if your ‘instinctive’ repulsion to bugs is merely a trick of Western conditioning.” Gotcha! But regardless of your opinion on creepy-crawlies, Beetle Queen’s in-depth examination of Japan’s relationship to the insect will captivate. “[It] allows us to directly connect with other human beings,” Jessica explains. “Even if their actions may seem somewhat alien. And through that connection, not only do we learn about other cultures, but we are also encouraged to reevaluate our own perceptions and interactions with the natural world.” Pretty cool!

Check out the rest of our Q&A below, wherein Jessica discusses her inspirations, ethnobiology, and super top-secret beetle hunting spots. Support her project here.

Where did inspiration for this idea come from?

I’ve always wanted to make ethnobiological films –- films about the way cultures interact with the natural world. The first time I heard about the Japanese love of insects, I was assisting in a classroom at the American Museum of Natural History a few months before my graduation from University. I knew, right away, that I was going to make a movie on this topic, and I started doing research the moment I got home. I couldn’t find anything in English on the subject, however, so I was forced to kind of put the idea aside in my head. And then, just two days later, my sister was in an airport in Baltimore sitting next to a cute Japanese man. They struck up a conversation and he mentioned he was an entomologist; she said, “My sister’s an entomologist!” and put us in touch. When I told Akito [Kawahara] that I wanted to make a movie about Japan’s enthusiasm for insects, he said, “Cool, we’ll stay at my parents’ house and I’ll introduce you to all of my entomologist friends.” It wasn’t quite as easy as all that, of course, but it really did feel like the stars were aligning.

Were you “icky” about insects prior to making this movie? Curious to know if and how your relationship to the little guys has changed.

I have always loved bugs – that’s part of the reason I wanted to make this movie. When I heard that this entire culture loved insects as much as I did, I felt like it was my calling.

This film is about a lot more than “bugs” — Japanese culture, philosophy, nature — did the aim of your film evolve to be more broad upon your exploration of the subject matter? Or did you go into it with a bigger picture mind-set from the beginning?

It was never my intent to make a straight-laced nature documentary. In a way, I feel like there isn’t really room for that any more. I idolize David Attenborough, don’t get me wrong, but I wasn’t interested in presenting a glossy, idealized version of nature where humans aren’t factored in. There isn’t a place on this planet that we haven’t affected, so we can no longer leave ourselves out of the equation. However, I also knew I wasn’t interested in making an environmental film –- instilling fear and guilt.

Ethnobiology is the perfect medium for the kinds of ideas I want to get across. It allows us to directly connect with other human beings, even if their actions may seem somewhat alien. And through that connection, not only do we learn about other cultures, but we are also encouraged to reevaluate our own perceptions and interactions with the natural world.

So, yes, I knew early on that the film was going to be about more than just bugs. But as my research deepened, I realized how closely tied I was, emotionally, to the Japanese people and I developed a better sense of which aspects were really going to shine through in the film.

What do you hope that your audience will take away from your film?  What kind of reactions have people had so far?

The reactions have been really positive, thankfully. Because the film is so multi-disciplinary, it attracts a wide range of audiences. I’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback from the entomological community, of course, but I’ve also had a number of experiences that I hadn’t anticipated, from sharing several group hugs with some stoners in Canada to having a wonderful conversation with a World War II veteran at a screening in Louisiana, which you can read more about on our Kickstarter page. Different people seem to connect with different aspects of the film -– it is exceedingly rewarding to hear all of these diverse reactions.

Any unusual and/or unexpected anecdotes from filmmaking? You must have crossed paths with a lot of interesting people!

It is hard to pick just one, but one of my favorite experiences was a night hunt on Mount Fuji. We made arrangements to follow one of our subjects to his favorite beetle hunting ground, which had to be kept very hush-hush because the hunting is so competitive. Following behind him in our car, we would have sworn he was trying to lose us -– swerving across the winding roads at nearly 45 miles an hour. When we finally arrived, it was breathtaking. The lights set up for the beetles had also attracted a group of lepidopterists collecting moths. The moths were so dense it was difficult to see, and the fog was incredibly beautiful in the lights. It’s one of my favorite scenes in the movie as well, but the experience of actually being there –- enjoying hot ramen and cookies with these hard-core collectors -– was pretty unforgettable.

How has your use of Kickstarter been so far?

Hmm… This is a tough one. I am really excited to be part of this thing, and I think the site and the format are great, but I had hoped that my friends and family were going to show a little more enthusiasm. At the same time, I am extremely grateful to those who have already pledged, and to Kickstarter itself. It’s a great opportunity for any filmmaker or artist -– I just hope I’m able to raise the money and take full advantage.

Closing thoughts?

Please pledge!