Five Debut Directors Explain Unusual Film Paths

The 39th Tokyo International Film Festival hosted a panel where five first-time Japanese directors detailed the irregular processes behind their debut features. The session, titled "How We Make Films," took place at Tokyo Midtown Hibiya. Ichiyama Shozo, the festival's programming director, moderated the discussion. He stated that the selection typically favors newer voices in Japanese cinema but specifically included Ueda Shinichiro due to the vertical format of his film, Earthlings in Love.

Ueda described his film as an adaptation of a 30-episode microdrama series created for social media. This format explains the screen aspect ratio. He noted that the budget was comparable to a regular independent film, distinguishing it from the low-cost productions common in the microdrama genre. "I'm from the theatrical film world, so we were making it as if it were a film to start with," Ueda said. He added that this approach made the project suitable for theatrical release.

Saito Kisin, a young cinematographer, discussed his debut feature, Kefi. Ichiyama characterized the movie as a very unique, strange film where the narrative remains unclear until the ending. Saito explained that the project began when he met a producer who managed production and movie advertising. That producer found a sponsor. The sponsor initially provided a theme of maternal love but later granted the team creative freedom. "So it turned out to be a very strange film," Saito said. The final cut follows three sisters who learn of their father's death.

Natori Satoshi, a former hunter, presented Chihiro | Akemi, a film set in a house in eastern Hokkaido. He wanted to depict the distance between the woods and the house, drawing on the cycle of hunting for prey, killing it, and eating the meat. He compared that wilderness life to his time in Tokyo, where he worked as an advertising director. He said the wilderness stripped away social roles and caused his personality to shift, as if another person were emerging inside him. Actor and producer Nawata Canon contributed her own experience of giving birth to the film. Natori cited Andrei Tarkovsky's Nostalghia as a foundational influence, stating that the plot is secondary and that texture, color, and style carry as much weight as story.

Chihiro | Akemi won the Grand Prix in the feature competition at the Split Film Festival in Croatia. Carlos Reygadas, a member of the jury, told Natori, "Your film is crazy. What's going on here?" Reygadas expressed interest in collaborating. Natori said his next project could become a Japan-Mexico collaboration. Matsumura Shingo, whose film Between Us centers on the overlap between theater and reality, said he had wide latitude with the film's concepts.

Yaza Takenoshin described how he secured a cinematographer for Hinotama: Ball of Fire. He messaged Kitagawa Yoshio directly, curious because Kitagawa had worked on many low-budget films despite his collaborations with Hamaguchi Ryusuke. Yaza had never made a feature or handled a budget. A conversation about filming on a tight budget led to a call where Kitagawa offered to shoot the film. Kitagawa also introduced a producer who began approaching financiers. Yaza was the youngest person on the set and described the atmosphere as generous and open-minded.

Ueda, Saito, Natori, Matsumura, and Yaza all emphasized the freedom to follow their own instincts during production. Natori closed the session by reflecting on the nature of a debut. "I think it's important for you to make a feature-length film that you will be satisfied by," he said, "that you can only do because it's your first time."

The panel concluded with a discussion on the specific logistical and creative hurdles each director faced. The filmmakers agreed that their first features were shaped by unique constraints and accidental partnerships rather than traditional industry pathways. The session ended with a Q&A for the audience at Tokyo Midtown Hibiya.