"Because I'll forget everything" Director Yukiko Amate's fun created by instantaneous power [Director's Interview Vol.255]

Environmental improvement that you want to actively work on

Q: During the production of "That's a Kizoku," you were transferred from Kanazawa, and you participated in the activities of the "Association for the Establishment of a Japanese CNC". As you are working toward the establishment of the company, do you feel that the world around you has changed?

Amate: There are some aspects of the working environment that cannot be changed by just one person's efforts, so the industry as a whole needs to work together. I felt like that was all there was to it. Movies and dramas have a certain amount of filming to be done and deadlines, and freelance staff members come together and work under their own name. While each of us is concerned about the other, we are struggling every day to balance the desire to create something good and the quality we need to protect as we shoot. Of course, people in positions of responsibility need to be aware of this, but I think we need to review guidelines and contracts rather than placing the burden on just one person. I thought that if I didn't do that, I wouldn't be able to tell.

I had no choice but to travel from Kanazawa for a short period of time to take photos because it's my lifestyle, but I ended up living away from my child for half a year. It's really difficult to continue this work while raising children, but this time more than half of the staff at the site were women. The chief assistant in the photography department was a woman with a child, and the number of female staff working on set while raising children is increasing. It feels like the environment is changing, little by little.

“Because I’ll Forget Everything” Director Yukiko Amate

Q: As an audience who wants to see Amate's work, I would like him to direct the film, and there are producers who actually ask him to do the work. I feel like the environment is gradually catching up.

Amate: I was aware that some people might say, ``If I ask Amate, I won't do it because it will cost me transportation and accommodation expenses,'' so I moved here with this in mind. I'm really grateful that there are people out there who still want to hear from me. I don't think there's anything wrong with the fact that you can't make a movie unless you live in Tokyo. I think it would be better if someone with more experience took the photos. However, of course there are various considerations such as budget. So instead of just saying things like that, I want to actively work on how to make it happen. I am currently participating in the ``Society for the Establishment of a Japanese CNC'' and am learning a lot about this.

Q: This film has a feeling of ``this is how it came about'' after ``Anoko wa Kizoku'', and I was happy to see Director Amate's new work, and I think there are many people who feel that way. .

Amate: Compared to the previous work, it feels like it's a lot easier to enter (lol). But I don't want to keep shooting similar things, and I feel like I've successfully moved forward in terms of building my career.

Director/Screenplay: Yukiko Amate

Born in Nagano Prefecture in 1983. Started making independent films while attending university, and in 2009 produced ``Underwear Affair'' as part of the NDJC project commissioned by the Agency for Cultural Affairs. 2015's full-length commercial debut ``Good Stripes'' is released. This film won the 7th TAMA Film Award for Best Emerging Director and the 2015 Shindo Kaneto Award Gold Award. In 2021, ``Anoko wa Kizoku'', a film adaptation of Mariko Yamauchi's novel of the same name, was released. This film won the Best Film Award at the 13th TAMA Film Awards. His latest work is a drama series based on Cinder's essay ``Because I'll Forget Everything,'' and he is in charge of the director and screenplay.

Interview and text: Fumio Koda

Editorial staff and writer for CINEMORE. My favorite movies are ``The Goonies'' and ``Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.'' My recent favorites are 4K digitally remastered classics by Akira Kurosawa and Yasujiro Ozu.

Photography: Kazunari Aoki

"Because I'll forget everything."

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