"The Cornered Mouse Dreams of Cheese" Original: Setona Mizushiro x Director: Isao Yukisada Creator Talk [Director's Interview Vol.76]

Today is an era in which individuals make choices.

Q: Lastly, please tell us about the theme. It's been 16 years since the release of the original story, " The Cornered Mouse Dreams of Cheese, " and do you feel that the way LGBTQ elements are perceived has changed?

Mizushiro: That's right... I think there is some orthodoxy and basis for the way things are perceived these days, but at the same time, I feel like it's starting to feel like peer pressure.

Even though there is a correct interpretation that should be arrived at in the end, I think it's okay for each person to have their own opinion. I think it would be better to have more freedom, rather than arguing based on newness or oldness, saying, ``This is how we have to think about this.''

In that sense, I feel like in the past, no one was forcing anything on people, and it was more easy-going. Nowadays, with the creation of various words, we are told that ``it has to feel this way'' or ``it has to be called this way,'' and as a result, interpretations have become narrower.

I'm sure there are people who were hurt in the old days of flatness, but by categorizing things, it seems like we're still hurting ourselves in a different way.

Yukisada: I also feel uncomfortable about being categorized as "LGBTQ" in this work.

When I read the original work, I thought it was a very contemporary story, and what made me think about it was that it was a story about an individual.

I think we live in an age where it's up to the individual to choose. Even in ``The Cornered Mouse Dreams of Cheese'', Kyoichi makes a choice that goes beyond his gender. There is no right or wrong answer. It's just a matter of what the individual chooses.

That's why I wonder why people are saying things like ``What about non-LGBTQ actors playing LGBTQ characters?'' as was the case in America the other day. Actors take their roles seriously, interview the people involved, and then perform their roles with sincerity.

Q: I completely understand how you both feel. Aren't your words pushing you further away? That's the feeling, isn't it?

Yukisada: The basis of my thinking regarding gender is the manager of the store where I worked part-time. He's gay and he taught me a lot of things.

The words that really left an impression on me were, ``Don't you look at me in a discriminatory way, but please differentiate between me? Because I'm special.'' I still respect the person who told me, ``Become a person who understands the difference between discrimination and distinction.''

As an individual, she is very strong and attractive. I think Imagase also has that strength.

Mizushiro: Imagase is definitely not the liberal type. I only like men, and even if a girl said "I love you," she would never accept me as kindly as Kyoichi did with Imagase (lol).

Kyoichi thinks ``Wow!'' when Imagase says ``I like you,'' but that's because he, as a heterosexual, has been made into a sexual object, and his relationship with him hasn't changed at all. . You can see the size of his skill when you just say, "That's right."

Even though Kyoichi said, ``I'm not gay,'' Imagase was imagining him eating meals with Imagase and accepting him in whatever way he could. I think it resonated more than anything.

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Original work: Setona Mizuki

Born in 1971, from Kanagawa Prefecture. Debuted in 1993 at Petit Comic (Shogakukan). Since then, she has continued to be active in Bessatsu Shojo Comic, Judy, Monthly Flowers, etc., and in 2012, she won the 36th Kodansha Manga Award for her series ``Shitsuren Chocolatier'' in Monthly Flowers. The same work was also made into a TV drama in 2014. His representative works include ``The Cornered Mouse Dreams of Cheese'', ``The Carp Jumps Twice'', ``Shunken Chocolatier'', ``Black Rose Alice'', and ``Cranium Poison Berry''.

Director: Yukisada Isao

Born in 1968, from Kumamoto Prefecture. His first feature film, ``Sunflower'' (2000), won the International Federation of Critics Award at the 5th Busan International Film Festival. For ``GO'' (2001), he won numerous film awards, including the Best Director Award at the 25th Japan Academy Awards, and suddenly came into the limelight. In addition, ``Cry for Love in the Center of the World'' (2004) became a social phenomenon when it became a huge hit, reaching number one in Japanese movies in the same year. Since then, his works include ``Year Zero in the North'' (2005), ``Spring Snow'' (2005), ``Closed Notes'' (2007), ``This Time Is a Loved Wife'' (10), and ``Parade'' (10/60th Berlin International ``The Round Table'' (2014), ``Five Minutes Before Midnight'' (14), ``Pink and Gray'' (16), and ``Beautiful'', which was filmed in his hometown of Kumamoto ``Hito'' (16), Nikkatsu Roman Porn reboot ``Gymnopedie Disturbed'' (16), ``Beautiful Hito Mackerel?'' (17), ``Narratorage'' (17), ``River's Edge'' (18/68th Berlin International Film He has won numerous awards, including the International Federation of Critics Award in the Festival Panorama Category. In addition to movies, he has also directed stage productions such as ``The Hobby Room'' (2013 and 15), ``Happy Together Midnight'' (14), and ``Tango at the End of Winter'' (15), and won the Mainichi Arts Award in the drama category in 2016. It has received high praise, including winning the 18th Senda Koreya Award. Among the works waiting for release is ``Theatrical'' (to be released on April 17th, 2020).

Interview and text: SYO

Born in 1987. After The Graduate from Tokyo Gakugei University, he worked at a film magazine editorial production site and a film information site before becoming a film writer/editor. Works on a wide range of topics including interviews, reviews, columns, event appearances, and recommendation comments. Contributed to ``CINEMORE'', ``Cinema Cafe'', ``Soen'', ``FRIDAY Digital'', ``CREA'', ``BRUTUS'', etc. Twitter「 syocinema 」

"The Cornered Mouse Dreams of Cheese"

From Friday, September 11th, TOHO Cinemas Hibiya and other nationwide road shows

Distribution: Phantom Film

(c) Setona Mizushiro/Shogakukan/Movie “The Cornered Mouse Dreams of Cheese” Production Committee