``Shushushu no Daughter'' will not stop due to Corona. The "independent spirit" that drives director Yu Irie [Director's Interview Vol.133]

2020. The world changed completely, and the domestic film industry was thrown into chaos. Amid the swirling confusion and anxiety, there are some creators who took action quickly.

Director Yu Irie himself suffered damage as his new work, which he had spent several years preparing, was canceled. Despite his disappointment, he pulled himself together and announced his return to independent filmmaking. In June, less than two months after the first state of emergency was declared in April, he launched a new project, ``Shushushu no Musume''.

This work is a story set in a local city. The film depicts how the simple daily life of Miu (Saki Fukuda), a city hall employee, changes completely due to a certain incident. It is a masterpiece filled with an experimental spirit that mixes humor and a theme that deals with social issues. It will be released in mini theaters nationwide from August 21st.

Making a movie and delivering it to mini theaters during the coronavirus pandemic. What was director Irie thinking when he decided to make this film? The entire story he told us was well over 10,000 words. Raising issues about the Japanese film industry, appreciating mini-theaters, and taking pride as a creator. I want you to receive each and every word I say.

Index

• If you stop because of the coronavirus pandemic, you won't be able to move in the future.
• If it's an independent film, there's no need to "reduce" the subject matter.
• Regain the independent spirit once again
• Thoughts put into standard size and monaural audio
• Movies are festivals. Even during the coronavirus pandemic, I don't want to give off a sense of sadness.
• “Differences” in the working environment that I witnessed while filming in South Korea
• Most of the staff are freelance. It is impossible in terms of psychology
• The idea behind the fixed camera production is that you can watch anywhere.
• Growing up in an area without movie theaters was my original experience.

If you stop because of the coronavirus pandemic, you won't be able to move in the future.

Q: When you launched the project for this film in June 2020, you said that you had wanted to make an independent film for several years, but I think you must have been very busy as you were active in major projects. Before the coronavirus, did you have a clear plan to make an independent film during this period?

Irie: It wasn't decided yet. When the first state of emergency was declared, plans for historical drama movies and dramas that had been planned for about five years were scrapped. So in 2020, I had nothing to do, so I decided, ``Maybe this is Being There. Let's make an independent film.''

Q: The first state of emergency was declared in April. During this period, society as a whole was in a state of panic. It was amazing that I was able to get started right away.

Irie: When I think about it now, I realize that I was able to get things moving within two months, but at the time it was like a screw was flying off. I had been working to support the mini-theater since April, but I was feeling pretty devastated as a friend of mine had passed away.

I wondered how long it would last, and I wondered if I wouldn't be able to make a movie for a while, if not forever...I felt depressed, and my sole focus was, ``The only way out of this is to make a movie!''

“Shushushu’s Daughter” © Yu Irie & cogitoworks Ltd.

Q: During this period, or to be honest even now, I think many creators still feel the scars of being treated as "unnecessary."

Irie: When the Great East Japan Earthquake occurred, I was preparing for the April 2 release of `` Seiyo Kamatte-chan the Movie: Rock'n' Roll Doesn't Stop '' (11). At that time, people said, ``Maybe the power consumption isn't good. Maybe we shouldn't show movies.'' At that time, even actors were saying, ``We should close movie theaters now.''

But we released it as planned. As a result, many customers came, and that experience may have been a great experience for us this time. I felt that movies can create a space in times when individuals are divided. That's why I was able to move quickly this time.

Each person has their own stance, and it's important to wait and see what happens, but what I realize now that I'm 41 years old is that being a film director is a test of physical strength. Since the field requires manual labor, I felt that staying here would have a negative impact on me. I also thought that if I didn't take action now, I might not be able to step forward when I find myself in a pinch like this in the future.

If it's an independent film, there's no need to "reduce" the subject matter.