"60s is a decade of growth" -Film director Hirokazu Koreeda 60-July 1, 20:22

"I can't create new things only within the team I'm used to."

"I'm not satisfied at all. I want to shoot something more interesting."

Film director Hirokazu Koreeda said in a 120-minute interview with NHK. is.

Four years ago, he won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival for his movie "Shoplifters," and even though he became a global director, he continues to pursue his own growth.

This time, Director Koreeda's challenge was to shoot a movie set in South Korea.

Instead of "Team Koreeda", both actors and staff put themselves in an unfamiliar environment of "all Korea" and challenged "warrior training".

What is "60-year-old Hirokazu Koreeda" that I talked about in a close interview and an interview?

("Close-up Gendai" Director Saki Fukui)

What the "Sagamihara" case asks

Director Koreeda had an unforgettable experience in thinking about the concept of this movie.

A murder case that occurred at "Tsukui Yamayurien", a facility for people with intellectual disabilities in Sagamihara City, Kanagawa Prefecture.

Forty-five people, including residents, were killed or injured.

In fact, Koreeda is in contact with the convict on death row Uematsu who caused the incident.

Director Koreeda

"Is there a life unworthy of life? I feel that the premise of the world is breaking down."

After the incident, Uematsu was said to have said, "Society cannot afford to keep useless humans alive," and some voices were in tune with the words.

Director Koreeda has a strong sense of crisis in the situation.

Director Koreeda

"I think it's been since the word" self-responsibility "became loudly spoken, but various things are" the responsibility of the person "and no one thinks that it is the responsibility of society ... It may be an overstatement for everyone, but I feel that the voices of those who think so are getting louder. "

Director Koreeda begins to feel that the word "efficiency" is behind the spread of self-responsibility theory and the background of a society where life is neglected.

Director Koreeda

: "Various things have come to be considered in terms of" efficiency. "I think it's the same as if the budget of the Faculty of Letters is cut." Is it useful or not? " I feel that it is beginning to be applied, and I have a feeling that I want to deal with that. "

The theme of "life" that emerged is deeply linked to the new movie.

Director Koreeda

"How can we affirm'life'? It's not a question that was from the beginning, but I made this movie while thinking about it."

In the new movie "Baby Broker", a mother who put a child in a "baby post" and two broker men who are trying to sell the child for money go on a journey to find adoptive parents together. Road movie that comes out.

At the Cannes Film Festival, he received the "Ecumenical Jury Award" for his work "demonstrating that a family can exist without a blood connection."

Achieved a double crown with the starring Song Kang-Ho's Best Actor Award.

The thought of spending 10 years on the movie "Baby Post"

Director Koreeda has been planning a movie with the theme of "baby post" for almost 10 years.

While she was investigating the adoption system and foster parent system in Japan, she learned of the existence of children entrusted to the "Kototori no Yurikago", the so-called "baby post" at the Jikei Hospital in Kumamoto Prefecture.

As she continues to interview, she learns that the "baby post" is also in South Korea.

Director Koreeda

"Korean has a similar" baby post ", and knowing that there are overwhelmingly more babies entrusted to it than in Japan, there are some more vivid parts than in Japan. Let's choose it as the subject of the movie I'm thinking of. "

The meaning of "life" that has come into view

"Shoplifters" won the highest award Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.

What I drew in the movie was a "pseudo-family".

Director Koreeda

"I thought this time it wasn't about a pseudo-family. This time, I had the feeling that I had to go a little further."

Director Koreeda said he hadn't set a clear theme when he started making the film.

He said that the meaning of this movie became clear from the words of Song Kang-Ho, who starred in the movie.

Director Koreeda

"Song Kang-Ho said in an interview that'this movie is a story of life', and when I heard that, I said,'Oh yeah, it was a story of life.' So, the theme wasn't so clear to me. Rather, I thought that the actor who came out might have grasped this movie more accurately. To be honest. "

The reason why I dared to jump into an unfamiliar environment

Actors and staff who work together for the first time.

Why did you decide to make a movie in a place where the language and environment are different?

Director

Koreeda: "For better or for worse, if you're in a team you're used to, you might be able to communicate without verbalizing it. Then, I realized that it wasn't easy for me to come up with something new. Therefore, there was once a meaning of "samurai training" in this way. "

Japan's leading film director, who has won numerous awards, was still pursuing growth.

Shooting site in South Korea Thoughts put into handwritten storyboards

Director Koreeda started filming the movie "Baby Broker" in April last year.

There are only a few Japanese people, including interpreters.

I abandoned the "Koreeda style" to communicate with the Korean staff who are working for the first time.

"Storyboards" that are often prepared at the shooting site.

Director Koreeda hasn't been there since his debut, hoping to cherish his on-site discoveries.

This time, he revived his storyboard to share the image of the video and the meaning of the scene.

Cinematographer Hong Kyung-pyo was handed a storyboard by Director Koreeda.

The master photographer, who has long teamed up with director Bong Joon-ho, said that this attitude of director Koreeda has enhanced teamwork in the field.

Mr. Hong

"The director's picture is very cute (laughs). By using this storyboard, I deepened my understanding of the communication and the work between the director and the cinematographer. The movie" Baby Broker " The style of how to shoot the film was completed. "

Mr. Hong also touched on the personality of director Koreeda.

Mr. Hong

"I had a lot of fun shooting at the scene. Director Koreeda was always a cheerful and positive person. I'm sorry for being a worker holic. I always prepare thoroughly and my work is very clear. I'm always laughing without getting angry. Did you? "

Is it possible to identify the actor's lines and acting even if he doesn't understand the words?

Director Koreeda says that by facing the scene firmly, it is possible to confirm the goodness of acting even if you do not understand the language.

Director Koreeda

"The standard when watching a movie play is not always the meaning of words. How to see the part that is not just the meaning of words is well trained from South Korea. I'm back. After making "Baby Broker", when I'm directing a Japanese actor, I feel that the so-called "resolution" of seeing the acting is increasing. I can see what I've overlooked before. The feeling of becoming like that has returned and has been going on for a while, so I hope this feeling will not disappear. "

Another challenge to explore the secrets of Korean content

Director Koreeda had another interest in making films in South Korea.

The Academy Award-winning "Parasite Semi-Underground Family" and the drama "Squid Game", which has become a big boom in more than 90 countries around the world.

What is behind the birth of Korean video content that is taking the world by storm?

Last December, I headed to Busan, the city of movies, between productions.

The Korean government has gathered various institutions involved in the promotion of movies in this town.

One of them is the "Korean Film Academy", which was created in 1984 in line with national policy.

It is a national film school where Korean film directors, including director Bong Joon-ho of "Parasite Semi-Underground Family," have graduated.

At the "Korean Film Academy", you can learn 4 courses: "Director", "Shooting", "Produce", and "Animation".

There is almost no tuition fee and the dormitory is provided free of charge.

For up to three years, students will be given the time and environment to devote themselves to filmmaking.

On the day Koreeda visited, the students were still in the middle of making a short film.

After graduation, 90% get a job related to movies.

It is said that many people come back to study at the "Korean Film Academy" after going to the movie scene once.

Director Koreeda was interested in this school management system.

School operating costs are in the form of returning a portion of the movie admission revenue.

There is a public fund called "Movie Development Fund" in South Korea, which mainly contributes 3% of ticket revenue.

The fund will be used for human resource development such as movie production subsidies and the operation of the “Korean Film Academy”.

Director Koreeda felt the enthusiasm to nurture the buds of his young talent by raising the country and the film industry.

Movie people leaked from Japan

I had an impressive encounter in this town.

Mai Nakanishi, who was making a short film at another school in Busan, "Busan Asian Film School".

Mr. Nakanishi who was working as a movie distributor.

He quit the company to become a movie director himself and came to South Korea three years ago.

He also considered working based in Japan, but he said he couldn't find a way to support the new coach and he decided to come to South Korea.

Koreeda:

What made you come to Busan?

Mr. Nakanishi:

I was very impressed to learn that Korea is giving opportunities to Asian producers to develop human resources.

I didn't know such a program in Japan at all.

Korea has access to film schools and film production support systems regardless of nationality.

Mr. Nakanishi has come to Korea and has already completed two short films.

Mr. Nakanishi

"If Japan doesn't subsidize or fund filmmakers like it does now, I'll probably be teaming up with filmmakers from other countries 10 years from now. I think I'm making a movie with

Director Koreeda witnessed the current situation in which a young man who aspires to make a movie leaves the Japanese film industry and travels abroad.

He felt that their generation had to change this situation.

Director Koreeda

"When I actually come, I really feel that the current prosperity of Korean films has the background of human resource development and national backup. Even in Japan, the film culture is somehow the next generation. When I thought about giving it to, there were a lot of things that I was missing.

I'm going to do it individually, but if I can't share the recognition that the entire industry will nurture the next generation, maybe now we I will not be able to hand over to the next generation something like the rich movie environment in which I grew up. "

In June, Koreeda, along with other film directors, set up an organization, arguing that the Japanese film industry also needed an organization to support human resource development and work environment improvement.

60 years old 10 years from now to 10 years of growth

Director Koreeda, who has finished the production of "Baby Broker", has begun to move on to the next work.

It is a serial drama that has teamed up with Netflix, a major American video distribution company.

His back, which did not stop, seemed to send a message to the Japanese film industry.

Director Koreeda

"I wonder if the distribution forces are coming into Japan like Kurofune and the Japanese film industry and film culture really have a sense of crisis. I

still want to shoot something more interesting.

I'm not satisfied at all. There are many projects that I haven't realized, and there are some topics I'd like to shoot in Japan. If I do all of that, it's probably going to take another 10 years

. Well, I think I'm probably dead, so I feel like I'm riding my bike all the time so I don't stop. "

Director Koreeda, who turned 60 last month.

During my stay in Busan, I have a question about "age" asked by a film school student.

Student:

I would like to know if Koreeda has set a new goal in his 60s.

Koreeda:

I thought I might have become a little better.

In this year.

As an ordinary member of society, I'm old enough to see retirement age, but I still think I can grow up as a director.

So, I'm thinking of making my 60s a decade of growth.

After the interview

During the time I talked with Director Koreeda, it seemed that my attitude and gaze as a director was being questioned, and I always had a special feeling of tension.

After the interview, the only things that came to my mind on my way home were reflections ...

We will continue to make efforts with the words of Director Koreeda, who says, "The world of video is fun."

Saki Fukui ,

Director of the Political Economy and International Program Department Joined the Fukuoka Bureau in

2011.

After working at the Fukuoka Bureau and News Watch 9, he is currently in his current position

.

"Can I still grow? The challenge of film director Hirokazu Koreeda?"

Program information　

Broadcast on June 29, 2022 (Wednesday)

* Overlooked and delivered on NHK Plus until July 4

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