After receiving a fellowship with the PIA, Sono made his first feature-length 16 mm film in 1990, Bicycle Sighs (Jitensha Toiki), a coming-of-age tale about two underachievers in perfectionist Japan.
Setelah membina persekutuan dengan PIA, Sono membuat film 16 mm panjang pertamanya pada tahun 1990, Bicycle Sighs (Jitensha Toiki), kisah tentang transisi dua anak kurang berprestasi di Jepang yang begitu perfeksionis.