Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo on AllMovie

Japan is one of the most crowded nations on Earth, with 128 million people stuffed into a space roughly the size of Montana (a state whose population in less than a million), so it makes sense that the Japanese people are fascinated by insects, small but hardy creatures that thrive in cramped and challenging environments. In Japan, insects are often kept as pets, breeding and selling the right breeds of beetles can be a very profitable business, enthusiasts watch insects and chart their sightings like bird watchers in America and Europe, and bugs frequently appear in artwork, toys, video games and movies. Filmmaker and animal expert Jessica Oreck presents a fun, fascinating and visually striking look at Japan's cheerful obsession with our six-legged friends in Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo, a documentary that explores the historical basis behind the nation's love affair with insects and how it manifests itself in the present day. The film was an official selection at the 2009 South by Southwest Film Festival.