"What are you so modest?" Directed by Natsumi Yoshida Conveying things that cannot be put into words [Director's Interview Vol.322]

Natsumi Yoshida, whose first directorial work "Hitohira" (2017) won numerous awards at film festivals both in Japan and abroad, and whose first feature film "Ukaabu" (23) was sold out for five days in its first week at a Tokyo theater and had its screening period extended, is a promising young director who has been mentored by directors Hirokazu Koreeda and Tran Anh Hung. Her next work is "What's so Modest?", which depicts three men and women finding their own "love". The main cast will include Maru Nouchi, Nair Yamamoto, and Ren Sudo, and crowdfunding is currently underway (until June 30, 2023) in preparation for the film's start.

"What are you being so modest about?" First preview of pre-production

"What are you being so modest about?" is not a commercial film but an independent film. What is Director Yoshida's intention behind his insistence on independent production? We spoke to him about the thoughts he put into this film.

Synopsis of "Why Be So Modest?"

The protagonist Sou (played by Maru Nouchi) has been creating artworks by pasting torn pieces of cloth into three-dimensional shapes since she was a child, and her childhood friend Itsuki (played by Saw Sudo) has a strong spiritual bond with her. Sou lives in Tokyo with Itsuki and Itsuki's girlfriend Saori (Neiru Yamamoto). Sou values ​​the personal connections she has built with Itsuki, such as the spiritual bond she has with Itsuki and the collaborative art projects she has done with Saori, an oil painting instructor, as strong as a romantic relationship. However, one day, Saori is found to be pregnant. Led by Saori, who loves Sou as much as she loves her girlfriend Itsuki, the three of them move forward to build a new relationship that is unprecedented in their surroundings. However, Sou is consumed by the "romance supremacy" values ​​that exist in the world and within herself, and runs away from the apartment of the three in search of "(romantic) love" that she does not really want.

Index

• Communicating what cannot be expressed in words
• Reasons for focusing on independent films
• Three fascinating cast members
• My favorite is director Kim Bo-ra's "Honeybird"

Communicating what cannot be expressed in words

Q: The theme of this film is, "In today's Japan, where love is paramount, is it possible to build a relationship that is not romantic but is just as important and strong as a romantic relationship?" Please tell us why you chose to make a film as a way to convey this theme to the world.

Yoshida: One of the things I value in filmmaking is "portraying emotions and relationships that are not defined by words in the world." I think that "film" is able to convey things that cannot be put into words to the audience through images. Also, because film is a visual art, it can express the presence of people in space and the sense of distance between the person and the environment, making it very suitable for "communicating things that cannot be put into words." That's why I chose "film" as my form of expression. That's why I had a hard time explaining the theme on the crowdfunding page. I had to forcefully put it into words and write it down, so I explored quite a bit.

Q: Do you feel frustrated when it's just words?

Yoshida: That's right. I myself often end up talking a lot or writing long sentences, so I hope I can convey that well through images. A movie is made up of a collection of scenes, which are a collection of cuts. Things that cannot be fully expressed through individual cuts or scenes can only be conveyed to the audience through the larger image of a movie. When you think about it that way, I think there are some things that are difficult to convey through words.

Reasons for focusing on independent films