“Children of the Sun” director Hiroshi Kurosaki pursues “the dynamic of life” in a fictional world [Director’s Interview Vol.130]

Directing techniques cultivated through educational programs

Q: For director Kurosaki, what are some of the original works?

Kurosaki: I love the works of director Kazuo Kuroki and Yoshio Harada, and I admire `` Preparation for the Festival '' (1975), and ``Sunshine of the Quince '' (1992) directed by Victor Erice, who also directed `` Whisper of the Bees '' (1973). ) was influenced by the documentary film. It's a documentary-style film that blends fiction and reality, and I was really inspired by it.

When I first started making TV programs, I also did a variety of jobs. I also made a 30-minute documentary about a family, which has become a great asset to me, but the more I do it, the more I think it's nonsense to classify it as fiction or documentary. I feel that there is nothing more fictional than a documentary, and dramas also have very documentary elements in the sense that they capture the moment in time.

I want to stick to that style myself, and I have a strong desire to tell stories that don't create boundaries.

“Child of the Sun” ©2021 ELEVEN ARTS STUDIOS / “Child of the Sun” Film Partners

Q: You said earlier that you don't know your own color, but I think that's Director Kurosaki's color. ``Children of the Sun'' is exactly that kind of movie.

Kurosaki: Certainly. I hope that happens.

Q: Did director Kurosaki's directing techniques develop through his experience on set?

Kurosaki: I feel like I am connected to all the people I have met through my work. For example, I did the educational program ``Sawayaka Sankumi'' for about two years, and it was really interesting. Children can't act, so I learned a lot, thinking, ``How should I direct the play? How should I get along with them?''

The photographer I met at that time was a very experienced photographer, and he taught me everything from scratch. Since we don't have that much of a budget, we can't use rails to move the camera, so we always put the photographer in a wheelchair and I push him around to take the pictures. When I was able to use the rails for the first time, I thought, "This is like a dream..." (lol)

Heroes are also human. I want you to make a lot of mistakes and fail.