News

Daigo Matsui is a filmmaker and screenwriter, as well as founder and leader of the theatre group Gojigen. He debuted as a filmmaker with Afro Tanaka (2012). His other works include Sweet Poolside (2014) and How Selfish I Am! (2013). Wonderful World End (2014) was screened at Berlinale, and Our Huff and Puff Journey (2015) won two prizes at the Yubari Ifff. For both, he also won the Best New Director prize at the Tama Cinema Forum. Just Remembering (2022) received a Special Mention and the Audience Award at the Tokyo Grand Prix, while his most recent film, Hand (2022), is selected as part of IFFR 2023.

On the occasion of “Hand” screening at International Film Festival Rotterdam, we speak with him about the differences between the old and new Roman Porno films, shooting an erotic film during the MeToo era, the casting, the erotic scenes and many other topics

Hand is screening at International Film Festival Rotterdam...

Headed, if not exclusively dealt by, Nikkatsu, the Japanese movie industry has been making an intense effort during the latest years, particularly after the relaunch of the Roman Porno series, to produce pinku films that are both not offensive or exploitative in any way, and appeal more to female audiences, by focusing on women character as much as men. Daigo Matsui’s “Hand” is a definite sample.

Hand is screening at International Film Festival Rotterdam

Sawako is an office worker who enjoys taking photos of older men and making scrapbooks with them. The men she has dated have always been older than her, with her fascination still carrying on as the story begins, even leading her to a trip down memory lane where she tries to meet a couple of them once more, while reminiscing about the times she had sex with them. At the same time, her boss, an older man,...

Newcomer director Natsuki Nakagawa made an appearance at Nippon Connection in Frankfurt to present her debut film “She is Alone“. We took the opportunity and talked with the aspiring filmmaker about film studies, university and her strong female lead character.

“She is Alone” screened at Nippon Connection

You graduated from Rikkyo University and studied filmmaking, psychology and Cinematic Arts. As I understand, “She is Alone” is your thesis film. When did you decide to study film? And how much do film and psychology interact?

I wanted to learn how to make a film after I graduated from college. I thought about making a movie from a young age. However, I actually wanted to make a movie when I was looking for a job. The name of the department at my university can lead to misunderstandings because of its name. My department is further divided into psychology and cinematic arts. The...

“She is Alone” is the first feature film of Natsuko Nakagawa. The young filmmaker, who studied cinematic arts and contemporary psychology, tells the story of the suicidal girl Sumiko. Her destructive traits and revenge fantasies cause a lot of chaos within the social construct that goes by the name “high school”.

“She is Alone” is screening at Nippon Connection

After losing her mother to suicide, Sumiko tries to kill herself, too. But the attempt fails and she is under the suspicion of her father, friends, and teachers from then on. Everybody feels responsible and Sumiko is surrounded by an overbearing network of people. “She is Alone” reveals the hypocrisy of this network.

The female lead is characterized by apathy. Having come back from the edge of death, Sumiko spends her days aimlessly as she begins to blackmail her classmate Hideaki, who is dating a teacher at school. Akari Fukunaga (“Unten...