"Falling in Spring" Directed by Takahisa Zeze Match scene that creates drama [Director's Interview Vol.343]

A boxer's personality revealed during the match

Q: Among the wonderful cast members, it was said that choosing Yokohama Ryusei's opponent was the most difficult. What was the deciding factor for Masataka Kubota?

Zeze: This time, we are asking Shinichiro Matsuura to teach boxing, but Kubota was originally receiving private instruction from Mr. Matsuura. While many actors were taking lessons with Mr. Matsuura, I asked him, "Who is the strongest?" Then, Tsumabuki-kun and Kubota-kun's names came up. Meanwhile, when I went to watch the title match, I happened to meet Kubota-kun at the venue. There we had a chat about this work, and I guess you could say I gradually warmed to him (lol). After that, I made an official offer through my agency.

“Spring Scatter” ©2023 Movie “Spring Scatter” Production Committee

Q: Shogo's opponents Otsuka (Ryuta Bando) and Nakanishi (Masataka Kubota) are not depicted for as long as the other characters, but they each leave a lasting impression. How were the characters created?

Zeze: Unlike boxing in the Showa era, today's champions are not like the rambunctious champions of the past. Kubota-kun was trying to bring this out. Kubota-kun's crank-in was the scene at the Chinese restaurant where he meets Hirooka, but the script didn't mention Nakanishi's backbone, so he was just trying out various types of acting. During that discussion, we decided on the current image of the character. Shooting at that time took a long time.

On the other hand, Bando-kun was selected through an audition. I thought that I was the type that Reiko, the president of the company, liked the most. This is the type that a female owner would want to raise. The strongest feeling was that it was pure and untainted. I also liked the feeling of a modern young man.

Q: The relationship between both of them and Shogo was very easy to understand, and in a sense, I was excited because the setting was like a manga character.

Seze: That's right. In boxing, the matches are interesting, so you can really see the boxer's personality during the matches. And the drama builds. That's what makes boxing movies so interesting. Mr. Matsuura also wanted to do that properly. In particular, it was my first time playing against Yokohama Ryusei and Mr. Matsuura, so I had to figure out what kind of person Yokohama Ryusei was and create a match development and style. After all, that's how the match is made into a drama.

No choreography in the final round