The film industry around the world is currently at a turning point. The #MeToo movement, a movement that does not tolerate sexual violence, began to spread around the world around 2017. Since then, individuals have actively expressed their opinions in order to improve the current situation. Among these, there has also been a movement calling for improvements to the working environment in the film industry.

In June 2022, "action4cinema / Association for the Establishment of a Japanese Version of CNC (commonly known as a4c)," an organization to create a sustainable future for the film industry in Japan, was launched. In this article, we interviewed film director Atsuhiko Suwa, who serves as co-chair of the organization. We will talk about the activities of action4cinema, the current state of the Japanese film industry, and future prospects, including the director's experience of having shot films in France many times.

Interview and text: Yoko Usada Photography: Keita Tamamura Editing: Norimi Idonuma (CINRA, Inc.)

The sense of crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic resonated with Director Koreeda

-- Director Suwa, together with Directors Takuya Uchiyama, Hirokazu Koreeda, Yukiko Sode, Miwa Nishikawa, Koji Fukada, and Jun Funahashi, launched "action4cinema / Association for the Establishment of a Japanese Version of CNC" in June 2022. Could you tell us about the background to the launch of the organization?

Suwa:There were various events that led to the launch of the organization. Speaking personally, it was the spread of COVID-19 that made me strongly feel the need for a subsidy system in the Japanese film industry.

Suwa:In February 2020, the film I directed, "Wind Phone," was entered in the 70th Berlin International Film Festival. When I returned from Berlin, I received a mass email from the festival. It contained a symbolic photo of the entrance to a movie theater wrapped in emergency tape, along with a message explaining that movie theaters around the world were being forced to close as a result of infection prevention measures.

Then, I had a sudden realization. I was worried that Japanese art house movie theaters, known as "mini theaters," would also close if things continued like this. So I started a petition campaign called SAVE the CINEMA to protect small movie theaters, and linked it to the "Mini Theater Aid Fund," which was launched around the same time.

--Mini Theater Aid launched a crowdfunding campaign with the aim of distributing support funds to small cinemas across the country, setting a goal of 100 million yen.

Suwa:I was also skeptical about whether we could raise that much money. But when we actually opened the lid, we found that we had raised more than 330 million yen in support funds. Furthermore, with this momentum building, more than 90,000 signatures were signed, making the voices calling for mini-theaters visible. This action spread to music and theater, and in response, the government issued emergency support measures for the arts and culture. I witnessed the possibility that one movement could dramatically change the course of the world.

However, "Mini Theater Aid" is merely an emergency support measure. In the long run, I thought that unless we change the structure of the film industry in the first place, we would not be able to overcome this critical situation. It seems that Director Koreeda, co-representative of action4cinema, also thought the same thing.

In addition to films, COVID-19 has brought to light a variety of other issues, and with society's attention now turning to improving the environment, we felt that now was the time to take action, so we began reaching out to directors.

Improving working conditions and education to balance film and life

--Action4cinema has identified four areas of support that are necessary for the Japanese film industry: preserving the working environment, supporting education, supporting production, and supporting distribution. What kind of situation are you aiming for specifically?

Suwa:First, let me talk about "preserving the working environment." In Japan today, filming can continue from early morning until late at night. There are some locations where filming doesn't last for tens of days.

On the other hand, in France, where I have shot many films, filming time is limited to eight hours per day. After five days of filming, you have to take one day off, and because Sunday is the Sabbath, the basic rule is two days off per week. When I saw them returning to their families after filming and spending a relaxing Sunday, I was amazed at the fact that they were able to make films while living healthy lives.

Suwa:It may be difficult to create an exactly the same system as in France, but we would like to start by asking for improvements where we can, such as improving the working environment to make it easier for women to work and providing support for measures against harassment.

--I imagine that interest in working conditions is growing even among the younger generation.

Suwa:I teach at Tokyo University of the Arts, and I feel that this is on the rise. In addition to improving the existing working environment, it is also necessary to educate students about harassment. I heard that the Japan Institute of the Moving Image first implemented harassment prevention training for faculty and staff.

--This also helps support staff education.

Suwa:I think so. The biggest problem with Japanese movies is a lack of staff. Talented staff won't gather in a work environment where they can't have hope. So, first of all, I want to improve the environment.

Also, speaking of education, I think it is also necessary to develop the audience. In France, educational programs for elementary school children to 19-year-olds show highly artistic films by Andrei Tarkovsky, Jean-Luc Godard, and others. Rather than giving up by saying "children won't understand," I felt that they were thorough in their attitude of "the shock is what makes an encounter with art."

Thanks to this education, I think there are more moviegoers in France than in Japan. Statistics from the Community Cinema Center show that the average number of movies watched at a cinema in Japan is around 1.3 per person per year, while in France the average is more than three per person. It is important for Japan to be conscious of cultivating the moviegoers of 10 years from now.

Diversity in film must be protected or it will be destroyed.

──What about production support? The materials used at the action4cinema press conference compared the situation in Japan with eight countries that have organizations that support the film industry. Looking at the number of films produced by country in 2019, Japan had 689 films, second only to the United States.

Suwa:I think the diversity is a good thing about Japanese films. There aren't many countries that produce such a wide variety of films. However, one thing to be careful of is that despite the large number of films being produced, government subsidies for 2019 were only about 8 billion yen.

For example, in France, 300 films received 41 billion yen in support in the same year. Even from this simple comparison, you can see that Japanese films are often made with significantly lower labor and production costs. The situation where films are somehow made while enduring harsh environments has become the norm.

--The large amount of support will likely have an impact beyond just the production site.

Suwa:Considering that a similar situation is occurring at movie theaters, I believe that distribution support is also necessary.

Statistics from 2021 show that only 6% of the total number of screens in Japan are independent movie theaters that are not under the direct influence of major movie companies, i.e. "mini-theaters." These few theaters are what ensure the screening of independent films and highly artistic films. However, it is easy to imagine that it is difficult for independent works to make a profit.

-- Screening films that are likely to draw large audiences will generate more revenue for cinemas, but the problem is that this prevents a diverse film culture from developing.

Suwa:That's right. Specific measures are being taken overseas to address this issue. For example, an organization called KOFIC (Korea Film Council) in South Korea has declared that it will publicly subsidize films that deal with thought-provoking themes such as politics and gender, or highly artistic films, as "diversity films."

In France, there is a system in place where cinemas that screen films designated as "diversity films" are awarded points, and they can receive subsidies according to the points they receive. With this in mind, we need to understand that diversity in film will be destroyed if it is not protected systematically, and we need to consider supporting distribution, including cinemas.

I want to pave the way forward through discussion and deliberation, not hostility and division.

──How to raise funds is an important point in support activities. action4cinema cites the French film mutual aid system "CNC (French National Cinema and Video)" as an institution to refer to.

Suwa:After comparing the systems in other countries around the world, I felt that Japan also needed a specialized film agency to oversee the various subsidies. Germany and the UK also have various agencies in their own countries, but the CNC in France is an extremely well-designed system.

CNC collects a portion of its revenue from services such as theater tickets and streaming services, and circulates the funds within the film industry. It provides a wide range of support, from planning to production, distribution, overseas promotion, and archiving.

Suwa:CNC collects 9% of ticket sales. If we could secure even 1% of the funding in Japan, we could raise billions of yen and financially support film-related work. We in the film industry would like to take the lead in taking action on these initiatives.

If we say that we want to collect a portion of the revenue from services such as theater tickets as a source of funds, it may be misunderstood as saying, "I want the money earned by entertainment films to support independent films." However, if we can actually learn from the CNC system, there will be a system in place to return a portion of the profits to films that are highly successful.

Our goal is not to create a structure that separates major and independent films. By securing financial resources, we want to ensure not only the diversity of films, but also the sustainability of the film industry.

--As a movie fan, I've been wondering if there is anything I can do to help. What are your thoughts on this?

Suwa:That's right... I hope that people who have a desire to make a statement will voice their opinions and talk to their friends, believing that the situation will change for the better. I truly feel that the opinions of each individual can change the mood of society and encourage change in the film industry and policy.

However, I don't think it's okay if you can't do anything. For example, if you are in a difficult situation right now, the first thing you should do is protect yourself. Speaking up can mean receiving criticism, so I want you to take care of yourself first.

──Finally, could you tell us about action4cinema's future prospects?

Suwa:We don't want to fight anyone. If we prioritize winning, then all that will remain is ruins. In order to create a better film industry, we want to talk and think tenaciously in solidarity, not in hostility. That's how we want to pave the way.

If we don't find a solution now, some of these problems will soon be forgotten. I want the whole industry to think about these issues, such as securing financial resources and preserving the working environment, without leaving any of the other issues behind.