"He One Second Ahead" Director Atsuhiro Yamashita What experience teaches [Director's Interview Vol.329]

“Kyoto” exudes a unique atmosphere

Q: Where did the idea to set the story in Kyoto come from? It felt strangely fitting.

Yamashita: I think that's fine (lol). ``Kyoto is the place to go when talking about this kind of thing,'' he said, and the idea of ​​Kyoto came up from the first meeting. The setting was a bit of a strange fantasy, so I thought it would fit well in Kyoto. I was like, ``I guess it's because it's Kyoto'' (lol).

It's all about the characters. The main character, Hajime, played by Okada-kun, is a quirky character with a strong sense of being in Rakuchu. I think that kind of thing is unique to Kyoto. I'm sure there are people in other regions who have a love for their hometown, but Kyoto is unique, so I think that was a plus when creating the character.

Q: Hajime-kun was told, ``Aren't you from Uji? (Not from Rakuchu).''

Yamashita: That's right (lol), Kyoto is poisonous, isn't it? That feeling of being in the center of Kyoto (Rakuchu) and outside (Rakugai) is not found in other areas. It's unique to Kyoto.

“The One Second Ahead” ©2023 “The One Second Ahead” Production Committee

Q: I feel like I was also hooked on the atmosphere that Kyoto creates.

Yamashita: This time, Heian Jingu Shrine and the Kamogawa River are shown, but there aren't that many so-called famous places in Kyoto depicted, and there are more ordinary townhouses and universities. Since I was in Kyoto, I didn't have any particular intention of taking this photo. I think I was able to take many pictures of Kyoto, like Amanohashidate.

Q: It's true that various places have come up as "Kyoto Prefecture". What was it like filming on location in Kyoto?

Yamashita: I was there for about two months, but it's definitely unique. The Kyoto that everyone imagines (within Kyoto City) is actually very small, and the rest of the city (Kyoto Prefecture) is very large. Amanohashidate, Miyazu, and Ine are also fine Kyoto cities, but they have a completely different atmosphere. You can really feel it when you're filming on location. During filming, I stayed in Nijo (in Kyoto), but then I moved to shoot the Miyazu part and then came back to Nijo. When I do that, I realize how different the atmosphere is from Kyoto city, and it makes me feel like I'm back.

“The One Second Ahead” ©2023 “The One Second Ahead” Production Committee

Q: Director Yamashita lived in Osaka when he was a student, did you ever go to Kyoto at that time?

Yamashita: I went there from time to time. I went to help out at the Kyoto International Student Film Festival and slept in the townhouse where the film festival staff lived. When I think of my memories of Kyoto, I have images of lazing around in those townhouses, so I drew on that experience by including them in the movie. It reflects a bit of my own personal experience.

Q: Hajime-kun also said, “There are a lot of students in Kyoto.” In that sense, Kyoto has an image of being laid-back.

Yamashita: I attended Osaka University of Arts, but I was in a rural area on the prefectural border with Nara, which is called Osaka (lol). In Kyoto, the city and students coexist, and when you go around Kyoto University or Yoshida Dormitory, you'll see students with a unique presence walking around. When I was around 20 years old, I went to Yoshida Dormitory to pass out movie flyers, and it was really scary (laughs).

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