There is no one better at depicting dark humor alongside human foibles and the shameful side of humans everyone wants to hide. Director Keisuke Yoshida has garnered popularity and praise through a certain kind of style that has remained unchanged since making his recognized directorial debut with "The Contents of the Desk" (2006) up through his latest film, "Kami wa Mikaeri wo Motomeru" (literally, "God expects something in return") (2022). Two of his films, "BLUE"(2021) and Intolerance (2021) have been selected together for the lineup to be screened in the Japanese Film Festival (JFF) held in various countries.

Director Yoshida is expected to grab even greater attention going forward. We sat down with him to find out about the surprising start to his career–working as a lighting technician, and his thoughts on his own work.

Text: Masaki Mugikura　Photo:Koki Sunada　Editing: Kimi Idonuma (CINRA, Inc.)

Learning about film at the feet of Director Shinya Tsukamoto and fulfilling a childhood dream

-- I understand you started your career working at the feet of Director Shinya Tsukamoto who is internationally known for works including Tetsuo: "The Iron Man" (1989).

Yoshida: I’ve always loved Jacki Chan movies since I was in kindergarten and was the kind of kid who said, “I want to be a movie director when I grow up!” I also liked the big Hollywood films, but in my teens I encountered Director Tsukamoto’s Tetsuo: The Iron Man… I thought it was the coolest movie in the world! That’s when I became a huge fan of his.

Yoshida: Back then, Tsukamoto-gumi (crew) was looking for volunteer staff every time they shot a film. Director Tsukamoto had a charismatic presence, so there were lots of people who applied. I was studying at a vocational school for film, and one way or another I got myself on the Tsukamoto-gumi staff.

-- You were put in charge of lighting, right?

Yoshida: Exactly. Director Tsukamoto is obsessed with art, so there are many in the preparation staff that don’t go to the set, but of course, I wanted to be on set. I said I would do everything, like rent and return the equipment, and do all the driving with my own car. I succeeded in getting myself on set as lighting staff.

-- At what point in Director Tsukamoto’s body of work did you get involved with his films?

Yoshida: The very first was "Bullet Ballet" (1999). A single shoot for Tsukamoto-gumi is long. At the time, it took about eight months to shoot one film. From there, he would make the rounds at overseas film festivals, so it took quite a while to get to the next film.

In between films, I would work at part-time jobs and make my own independent films. The last Tsukamoto-gumi film I was involved with was Nightmare Detective (2007), but while that was shooting I started filming The Contents of the Desk.

The dark humor he had always liked one day became his trademark

-- "The Contents of the Desk" is your commercial debut, but it’s a love comedy with a distinctive mood, which is completely different from Director Tsukamoto’s avant-garde taste, isn’t it?

Yoshida: That’s right (chuckles). Before filming "The Contents of the Desk", I had made independent films for about ten years that were influenced by Director Tsukamoto. But, they didn’t get any traction even though I submitted them to various contests. Then, after a certain amount of time had passed, I realized that no matter how much I liked his work, there’s such a thing as being suited or not suited to that style.

Plus, around that same time a more experienced Tsukamoto-gumi member said to me, “Why don’t you make a movie like the New Year’s cards you send to me every year?”

-- New Year’s cards?

Yoshida: In those days, every year I sent New Year’s cards to my more experienced workmates, but the contents were pretty dark. For example, I would draw a four-panel dark manga about an old guy who lost all his money betting horses and was thinking about death…that would be on the card along with “Happy New Year” (laughs).

I often shared that kind of twisted joke with them, so they suggested I should put more of those sensibilities and humor in my work. That’s what got me to start envisioning "Raw Summer" (2006).

I created what I truly liked without copying anyone or worrying about what other people think, so I guess I felt some sense of achievement. And, I realized that I’d steadily increased my filmmaking techniques and experience thanks to learning various skills in Tsukamoto-gumi and continuing to make independent films for ten years even though they weren’t appreciated. That’s the first time a peculiar entertainment quality was born. I mean, it became a kind of “masturbation” that could be shown to other people.

-- (Laughs)

Yoshida: It’s funny, the thing that gets to the heart of your own passion eventually becomes something labeled a “trademark.” Of course, up until then I’d written different things, but somehow it felt like I was cobbling things together. I didn’t at all feel like I was creating something.

Yet, once I could say, “This is what I like and I don’t care what others think about it,” suddenly one day I was able to write a script. It felt like I had just learned to ride a bike. When it comes to acting and camera blocking, too, my own preferences have become very clear to me. That’s why I started attracting a little attention and getting some recognition.

-- Around when was that?

Yoshida: I guess it was around the time I was making an independent film called, "Meri-chin" (2006) in between "Raw Summer" and "The Contents of the Desk". That’s about when I also realized I really like small-minded people who trade insults over trivial things (chuckles).

In a script, it’s hard to write what makes people magnetic, but the words really flow when projecting the embarrassing side of being human.

-- It’s kind of interesting that you started getting some recognition once you were able to depict the “underbelly” of people.

Yoshida: In the end, it was probably because moviegoers also have some human qualities of the kind they can’t share with others. Though, since I first started making films, there have been people who say they don’t need to go to the trouble of watching that on a big screen (grins). But, I think there’s also some part that feels it’s scintillating in a way.

“I want to portray the characters’ strengths and weaknesses in equal measure.”

-- Your films not only poke fun of small-mindedness, but they also take everything, the good and bad, into account and affirm humanity, don’t they?

Yoshida: Yes. People are ugly and foolish, but from the beginning I’ve always had the feeling that they’re still endearing, shortcomings and all. My intent is to consistently depict “love” in my films.

I think there are many forms of the word, “love.” Naturally, there is the kind of love where you’re attracted to someone you like. There’s the love between parents and children, and there’s the love of friendship… There’s also love for things non-human. Since I started making films it’s always been my desire to fundamentally depict love in all those forms.

I’ve always felt that instead of showing only harsh reality and declaring the world such a brutal place, I want to communicate that the world is brutal, but there’s a light shining somewhere, isn’t there?

-- "Intolerance" was exactly that kind of story.

Yoshida: The worse a bad situation becomes, the more gratitude people feel for small joys. You could say I value that feeling. I guess the more of those kinds of films I’ve made, the more desensitized I’ve become, so that the main character seems to be having an increasingly tough time (laughs).

-- With that in mind, it’s hard to know whether you are mean-spirited or kind.

Yoshida: Probably, it’s both. I watch people thinking, “There’s something unattractive about you,” but at the same time, if I zoom out I also feel, “Well, that’s people for you.”

In terms of filmmaking, I want to portray the characters' strengths and weaknesses in equal proportions. It feels a bit strange when a good person stays a good person forever.

-- In your films, Director Yoshida always has a very even perspective on the characters. It's like he doesn't favor the protagonist.

Yoshida: It may sound strange, but I thought that any of the characters in "Blue" could be the main character. There are three boxers in the film, but the script is actually all the same. So, depending on the casting, a different person might have ended up in the center of the poster (laughs).

Creating what he wants in the space between art films and entertainment films

-- Your films are now being screened in JFF, which is held in various countries. How do you view the reception your films get from places outside of Japan?

Yoshida: Actually, there’s still something I don’t understand about the reception my films get from overseas. I think it’s common for films of the type that swing towards a highly artistic style to make the rounds at overseas film festivals. But, I imagine audiences would be perplexed if my films were submitted to international film festivals. That’s because my films are in a tricky place that’s not entirely in the entertainment film camp or the art film camp.

For that reason, I can’t predict how my films will do. I’d like to hear more frank impressions from people overseas.

-- I see.

Yoshida: My two films, "BLUE"and "Intolerance"have been chosen…..I think that’s such a great honor. However, at the same time, I also feel that I’ve been making the same kind of films for a long time even before those two, like "I Love Irene" (2018) and "Himeanole"(2016).

Last year, a special screening of my films was put together for the first time at the Tokyo International Film Festival, and it feels as if lately I’ve suddenly been drawing attention, but I’ve just been doing the same thing for a long time. If I’m being honest, I don’t feel that the quality of my films has changed much. So, I’d be really happy if this would encourage people to go back and look at my older films.

JFF（Japanese Film Festival) schedule

<Cambodia>
The 8th Japanese Film Festival
Dec. 2nd ~ Feb. 5th

<Philippines>
Japanese Film Festival (JFF)
Jan. 20th ~ Feb. 22th