"Village" Director Michito Fujii's origin of the movie and sense of crisis for the future [Director's Interview Vol.307]

In Japan, there is no flow of new directors into the entertainment industry.

Q: Personally, I feel like there are more and more creators in Asia who are taking cool pictures of the countryside. I feel that ``Village'' can also be said to be a work in that lineage.

Fujii: In Asia, village stories tend to turn into horror (lol), but when I communicate closely with filmmakers from Taiwan and South Korea, I feel that the directors there are young. I thought the Korean version of `` I Just Dropped My Phone '' was stylish, and this is director Kim Tae-joon's first film. I was surprised. In Japan, there aren't many new directors in the entertainment industry, so the tone of the entertainment films is always the same, with an emphasis on newness. Korea has a high level of competition, so I get the impression that things are being updated all the time.

“Village” ©️2023 “Village” Production Committee

Q: Is the reason why the younger generation's visual sense has improved because they are constantly watching fashionable videos, including on SNS such as Instagram?

Fujii: I think there are quite a few. With YouTube, you can now watch trailers for movies from all over the world, and by watching new releases on Netflix, you can get an idea of ​​what's trending. It has become possible for anyone to obtain information such as ``What kind of equipment do you use?'' and ``What editing software do you use?''

Q: I think the way ``Village'' is viewed changes depending on the generation, and I think one of those is the visuals. Stylish photographs of village things like this are quite rare in Japan.

Fujii: From what I've heard from the media preview screenings, it seems like older people, who watch movies with a strict eye, are giving them positive reviews. I didn't think my films would reach that demographic, so it was refreshing. Now, on the contrary, I am concerned about how this work will be viewed by the younger generation. I really feel like I'm creating something new myself, but I'm looking forward to it because I don't know whether people will feel like they've discovered something new, or whether they'll want more templates. .

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