──Maybe it was because Director Fujii was in such a state that he was able to project himself into Jimmy in “Seishun 18 x 2: The Road to You”. It had an exquisite sense of distance and seasoning.
Putting aside works such as “Newspaper Reporter,” I recognize that self-projection is my life’s work, something I’ve been doing since my indie days. For example, the scene where Jimmy comes down the stairs. I tried to include the “I’m angry” appeal typical of adolescence. I was like that myself, and now that I’ve gone through one cycle, I’m able to love it.
On the other hand, when it comes to Jimmy, who is 36 years old, I intentionally linked my own “fear about the current situation that has grown since I started BABEL LABEL” with “Jimmy’s sense of loss after being fired from the company.” Masu. Now and in the future, I don’t think I can photograph anything that doesn’t or cannot reflect myself. That’s why I feel embarrassed when something I worked so hard to create becomes a hit, and sad when it doesn’t, and I feel like I’m in dialogue with the movie, the audience, and the times.
──Director Fujii is well versed in works from Asia, but are there any works that you are currently recommending?
In terms of my enthusiasm for it, I feel like I haven’t come across anything that surpasses “Moving.” Among the things I watched recently, “Lo Guiwan” was interesting, and although it wasn’t that big of a hit in Taiwan, “I, Conquer Evil with Evil” was a huge seller in China, and I wondered why it was so successful. ?” I often think.
I know that “Dune: Sand Planet Part 2” will be a hit all over the world, but I feel that there are still many uncharted territories in Asia. In South Korea, “The Tomb” has been a big hit, and I’m curious about it. I’m currently preparing for a historical drama, so I’m paying attention to Hiroyuki Sanada’s “Shogun”.
“Seishun 18×2 The Road to You”
Based on Jimmy Lai’s essay “Youth 18 x 2 Travels in Japan”, the film depicts the summer love between Jimmy (Xu Guanghan), a part-time high school student, and Ami (Kaya Kiyohara), a backpacker. The director is Michito Fujii, who directed “10 Years to Live”.Distribution: Happinet Phantom Studio
Michio Fujii
Born in 1986. She graduated from Nihon University College of Art, Department of Film Studies. After graduating from university, she founded the video group “BABEL LABEL” in 2010. Original work by Kotaro Isaka “Oh! Debuted with “Father” (2014). Since then, “Blue Return” (2018), “Day and Night” (2019), “The Brightest Roof in the Universe” (2020), “Yakuza and the Family” (2021), and “10 Years to Live” He has energetically released works such as “Village” (2022) and “Going to the End” (2013). “Newspaper Reporter”, which was released in 2019, won numerous film awards, including six awards at the Japan Academy Awards, including three of the highest awards.
PHOTOGRAPH BY AKIRA YAMADA
STYLED BY MIE BON MINAGAWA @ the few
HAIR STYLED & MAKE-UP BY MIKA NISHIDA
WORDS BY SYO
©2024「Youth 18×2」Film Partners
Worker Kaya Kiyohara is unwavering – the movie “Seishun 18 x 2: The Road to You”
The Japan-Taiwanese co-production film “Seishun 18 x 2: The Road to You” will be released in theaters on May 3rd. We asked Kaya Kiyohara, who co-stars with Taiwanese actor Xu Guanghan.
[Michito Fujii]“Yakuza and Family” is the best act of my movie──Let’s talk about it together! “My Japanese movie”