"Winny" Producer Kanayama Routine only produces shrinkage [Director's Interview Vol.298]

Why “Winny”?

Q: Why did you choose "Winny" as your first film to distribute?

Kim: I remember being shocked when the Winny incident happened, and because it's a story that also relates to communications, I thought it was a film that we should distribute and deliver properly. We initially planned to release it only in mini-theaters, but we expanded distribution to multiplexes nationwide so that more people could see it. We wanted more people to know about the Winny incident through the film.

Q: There are some scenes that seem to criticize the prosecutorial system. Did you ever feel there was any risk in the content?

Kim: This is a movie. There's no need to be considerate or feel risky. In foreign movies, real names of companies and individuals are used, but in Japan, names that give a negative impression are no longer used. So it seems strange to say "This is a true story." If you're going to make a movie, you should tell the truth. However, in the case of a true story, there are real people involved, so consideration of that is essential.

Q: Have you seen the finished film "Winny" and feel satisfied with it?

Kim: When I saw the finished film, I was deeply moved. It made me more excited. This is one of those films where I truly wanted to do everything I could to promote it, not just in terms of theater bookings.

“Winny” (C)2023 Movie “Winny” Production Committee

Q: What was the reason for expanding your business from investment as a production committee to distribution?

Kim: It's a shame that good films can't be released nationwide and end up only being shown at mini-theaters. I felt that the significance of distribution is spreading such films nationwide. I have participated in production committees so far, so I understand the business model, but I have never been involved in distribution, so there were many aspects that I couldn't see. I don't know the actual situation, as I have no experience, so I don't know what criteria theaters use to select films to show. But there are things that become clear by being involved (in distribution). I want to explore other possibilities through this experience. There may be new Being There there. That is one of the reasons why I got involved in distribution.

Q: Do you usually receive a variety of different projects?

Kim: Sometimes I get suggestions, but projects that I find myself and projects that take time to get investment tend to work out better (laughs). We first talked about "Winny" about two years ago, but for various reasons it didn't come to fruition. Even so, "Winny" remained in the back of my mind, so I approached them again and they decided to participate.

Japanese movies have become polarized