![Realizing large-scale screening of “Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence” (4K restored version) and “Corrida of Love” (restored version) Interview with director Arata Oshima of Nagisa Oshima Production [CINEMORE ACADEMY Vol.16]](https://cinemore.jp/images/7bd9e6ecd7d195ca5f08d081107ec195f93313a3679da957fa577b6defbf0706.jpg)
Realizing large-scale screening of “Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence” (4K restored version) and “Corrida of Love” (restored version) Interview with director Arata Oshima of Nagisa Oshima Production [CINEMORE ACADEMY Vol.16]
ambiguous relationships between men
Q: ``Sen Meri'' is unique in that it does not feature any women, but is the relationship between Celias and Captain Yonoi interpreted as homosexual?
Oshima: I feel like Yonoi was attracted to him in a homosexual way. But I just don't understand.
Q: Isn't it made clear in the settings?
Oshima: I don't think so. However, at the beginning of the movie, Kanemoto, played by Johnny Okura, has an incident where he forces a Dutch prisoner of war to have sex with him. I'm pretty sure that scene wasn't in the original. Therefore, I feel that such motifs are intentionally sprinkled throughout the book.
Q: Maybe it doesn't matter whether Celias and Yonoi are homosexual or not. Director Oshima's direction includes such ambiguity, saying, ``I'll leave it up to the viewer's interpretation.''
Oshima: That's right. The relationship between Sergeant Hara and Lawrence can be interpreted in various ways. As expected, Sergeant Hara likes Lawrence, but he doesn't like the fact that he doesn't commit suicide even though he's taken prisoner. The relationship between those two is probably closer to friendship than sexual love.
“Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence” (4K restored version) ©Oshima Nagisa Productions
It's a movie that's hard to summarize. That's true of all of Nagisa Oshima's works. It's like, "Please look at it and interpret it however you want."
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