"Harumu Hitobito" Director Nakajima Shunsuke × Starring / Planning and Producer: Souma Yukimi Respected the opinions of a mother [Director's Interview Vol.503]

The opinion of his mother, Soma-san, was respected

Q: It was an independent film, but I was impressed that you had an intimacy coordinator involved.

Nakajima: It was producer Mutsumi Kameyama who suggested bringing in an intimacy coordinator. So I asked her to help, but then intimacy coordinator Momoko Nishiyama said something that really surprised me: "When shooting sword fights, there's an action director, so why don't we have a specialized staff member for bed scenes?" In a previous film I shot, there was a bed scene between two men, and I felt like I didn't pay enough attention then... I learned a lot this time.

Soma: Not only in the sexual scenes, but also in the scenes where I was taking a shower, they took great care of me. Every time there was even the slightest bit of exposure, they took great care of me.

Q: The discomfort you both feel about society on a daily basis has been turned into a film. What are your thoughts on the message this film will carry?

Soma: The image I had when I first planned it and the finished film were quite different. It turned out really well. When planning the film, I didn't have children yet, but because the filming schedule shifted, the making of this film happened to coincide with me giving birth and starting childcare. I shared with Nakajima-san the feelings I had about childcare each time, and reflected them in the film. The feelings that you can only get from raising a child hadn't yet emerged in the planning stage. I think that by incorporating these real feelings into the film, it has become a work that resonates with people even more.

"Harumu Hitobito" ©Harumu Hitobito Partners

Nakajima: There are two things I wanted to say in this film. The first is about "children being left in cars." When such incidents occur, the mother who left the child behind is often blamed, but is the mother really the only factor that led to the child being left behind? Aren't there a variety of factors that lead to the incident? I wanted to question this through this film.

Another thing is the meaning behind the title "Harumu Hitobito." When I was first approached about the film, the title was written in kanji as "Pregnant." I felt a bit pressured and uncomfortable with the kanji for "Pregnant," so I wrote the word "Pregnant" in hiragana and came up with the title "Harumu Hitobito," with the implication that "it's not just mothers." This "people" refers to all four people, including Aki and Ikumi, as well as Shunsuke and Masato. In the film, these two men also experience "pregnancy" in various ways. I wanted to bring all of these elements together in one film.

And the fact that Soma is a mother was also a big factor. I absolutely wanted to respect her opinion as a mother. I think it was a big growth experience for me to be able to make this film while discussing with Soma, rather than prioritizing my own expression.

Soma: I think there are a lot of mothers out there who are overwhelmed. In those situations, even a small misstep can lead to a tragic incident. What is depicted in this film can happen to anyone. When you're overwhelmed, just having someone talk to you can make you feel a little better. Just something small like that can prevent a tragic incident. I hope that this message gets across.

Director/Screenplay/Editor/Producer: Nakajima Shunsuke

Film director/commercial director. Born in Himi City, Toyama Prefecture in 1987. Studied under director Atsuhiko Suwa at Tokyo Zokei University Graduate School. Joined an advertising production company in 2012, and has since worked as a commercial director for national clients and music videos for the hip-hop unit Creepy Nuts. A bisexual person, he creates films with the theme of "pain" for himself and others. His medium-length film "Share the Pain," inspired by his same-sex sexual experiences in junior high school, was released in theaters at Cinema Rosa in Ikebukuro in 2020. His short film "empty" was officially selected for the 32nd Raindance Film Festival in 2024.

Starring/Planning and Produced by: Yukimi Soma

Originally from Aomori, she made her full-fledged debut as a regular in "My Boss My Hero" as Saotome Yui. She has appeared in a variety of productions, including the drama "Hakozume" and the films "Kids Return: Time of Reunion" and "Gukoroku." In 2012, she appeared in a series of popular productions, including the role of Kase Miyoko in the drama "Unmet" and the regular role of Shiratori Kyoka in the drama "The Talentless Hawk." She also played the main role of Suzuki Haruko, speaking in her local Tsugaru dialect, in the film "Joppari: Nurse Hanada Miki." In 2013, she has a number of upcoming dramas, films, music videos, and more, including the dramas "Private Banker," "Wind-Filled Island," and "Husband, Will You Die?" She is also active in a wide range of fields outside of acting, including as a reporter for NHK's "High School Lecture 2.0," narration for JR East's "MY FIRST AOMORI," and the sound logo for "Chifure Cosmetics," a position she has held for over 10 years.

Interview and text: Fumio Koda

Editorial staff and writer for CINEMORE. My favorite movies are ``The Goonies'' and ``Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.'' My recent favorites are 4K digitally remastered classics by Akira Kurosawa and Yasujiro Ozu.

Photography: Kazunari Aoki

"The Pregnant People"

Released nationwide from July 11th (Friday) at Shinjuku Musashinokan and other theaters

Distributor: FIKA FILM

©Haramu People Partners