Hirokazu Kore-eda explores weight of creation in 'Look Back'
Director Hirokazu Kore-eda speaks during a press conference at the 31st Busan International Film Festival at Busan Cinema Center in Busan, Wednesday. Yonhap
BUSAN — Renowned Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda said his new movie "Look Back" explores a story about the creative struggles and sense of duty that storytellers experience.
"When I happened to read the original comics at a bookstore in Tokyo, it hit me with tremendous shock," the Palme d'Or-winning filmmaker said in a press conference at the 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF). "It prompted me to look back at myself and ask why people write stories, why they create and why I make movies."
Adapted from the web comic by Tatsuki Fujimoto, best known as the creator of global hit “Chainsaw Man,” the movie follows two young girls, Fujino (Natsuki Deguchi) and Kyomoto (Aju Makita), who bond over their shared passion for drawing comics before navigating separate paths through their adolescent years.
The film features Deguchi and Makita as the older Fujino and Kyomoto, alongside child actors Furi Nanase and Rokka Okada, who depict the characters during their early school years.
Kore-eda said casting was a delicate process aimed at selecting actors who are able to effectively portray the raw emotions and innocence of youth on screen. He added working with the four actors felt like watching his own daughters grow up.
"I wanted to capture the shared time among the four of them, the passage of the four seasons and the changes in light," he said. "They expressed those elements so naturally that it felt as if they actually lived in that town."
From left, actors Furi Nanase, Natsuki Deguchi, director Hirokazu Kore-eda, actors Aju Makita and Rokka Okada pose during a press conference for their movie "Look Back" at Busan Cinema Center in Busan, Tuesday, on the second day of the 31st Busan International Film Festival. Yonhap
To convey the texture of time and nostalgic atmosphere, Kore-eda chose to shoot the entire movie on 35-millimeter film over the course of a year in Akita Prefecture and captured the changing landscapes through all four seasons.
"I insisted on using 35-millimeter film from the very beginning," Kore-eda said. "Film forces everyone on set to focus on the moment happening in front of them because you cannot easily fix things later in post-production. I believe that kind of shared tension creates a unique energy on set that ultimately reaches the audience."
Regarding the delicate differences from the original comic, the movie version places greater emphasis on the complex dynamics between the two girls as it highlights their mutual admiration, envy and deep emotional connection over a 13-year journey.
For the young cast members, attending the BIFF and walking the red carpet proved to be a memorable experience.
Deguchi said portraying her character's solitude presented a meaningful challenge.
"There were many scenes where I had to convey emotions through my back," Deguchi said. "During the final scene where my character feels completely alone, I felt a deep sense of emptiness, as if Kyomoto was both there and not there."