The blending of cultures and art culminates for 10 Biola film students and their professor as “Mujo No Kaze: Winds of Impermanence” premiered in Los Angeles Saturday Dec. 1. The 12-minute film, which was shot entirely in Japan this past January, is the product of the hard-working members of a special interterm class and their Japanese compatriots.

Written and directed by Dean Yamada, a member of the Cinema and Media Arts department faculty, the film chronicles the aftermath of the death of a Japanese foreign exchange student studying the United States, particularly centering on the effect the tragedy has on the student’s best friend. The collaboration and convergence of cultural ideas that the production crew experienced while birthing the project on foreign soil is clearly evident through the film’s intricate plot line.

The film is shot almost entirely in Japanese, but one quick flashback set in the United States and another scene that depicts a hallucinogenic monologue delivered in English have the jarring effect of blending both cultures. Yamada invokes the deep reliance of Asian culture on the virtues of honor, and the mystical Japanese locations support the introspective and spiritual nature of the film. The film takes a more reflective stance when it comes to the tough questions of life and death it wrestles with, which may not reach those looking for a more involved, action-oriented story. However, the locations are well-photographed and beautiful, and the actors are completely committed to their difficult roles.

The film also makes excellent use of the lush natural locations available in Japan. Some of the scenes, set against the fog-enshrouded Japanese mountains, are visually stunning. Other sequences that claustrophobically depict the packed downtown districts of Japan add to the film’s authenticity and help raise the production value beyond that of the typical student film.

One pitfall of student filmmaking this film avoids is the overuse of dream sequences and flashbacks. It does contain a pair of reality-bending hallucinations, but they are visually-arresting and interestingly portray the emotions of the characters. Yamada wisely steers clear of using dreams as crutches to support the plot, and the acting is rich and nuanced enough that the film stands firmly on its own merits.

The film premiered this Saturday, Dec. 1, at 8:15 p.m. at the Mark Goodson Theater in Los Angeles.