Q: In "World Freedom of Press Index: 2019", S.Korea ranked 41st out of 180 countries, Japan ranked 67th. Why do you think it's important to voice out?
Matsuzaka: Nowadays, it is easy for all information, whether it is true or false, to enter our eyes and ears, and it is easy to misunderstand. That's why I realized that it's important to make a judgment with your own eyes and ears, and hold your own thoughts and opinions rather than criticizing something with someone's opinion. And finally, in this society, "not saying anything" becomes the safest option. That's why I think such a work is necessary.
Q: It's a very tough film, and the impact after watching is lingering. Were you all originally interested in the genre "political thriller"?
Dir. Fujii: I like to watch it, but I never had the opportunity to shoot such a piece of "political thriller" until now. I wasn't so confident that I could approach politics, so when Producer Kawamura (Star Sands) spoke to me, I declined it twice. I was just a young man who really liked movies. However, I was encouraged by various people and I received the passion from the producers and I tried to study myself. Although I was also involved in the script, I was first not aware of political entertainment with a high social value. For people like us who are not very interested in politics, people who do not know, I made it so that even movie lovers will be able to ask, "What do you think of the current situation?"
Sim Eun Kyung: This is my favorite genre as a movie, for example "Spotlight (2015) (T/N: Oscar Winner)", I refer to that movie this time. Although "The Journalist" is a film about journalism, I felt it was a very human story. I think it's a story that can be found not only in Japan, but anywhere in the world. I was very empathetic to it. Also, we usually see various information. I think it's a movie that sends a message to the audience about what to believe and what the truth is.
Matsuzaka: When I first read the book before the script, I thought there is something that makes me think again. Now that we are in a society with information, I think it is important to hold your own senses in an environment where it is easy to mix up truth and rumours. Above all, I think it's great that I can work with Shim Eun Kyung and Director Fujii.
Q: About the bureaucrat role.
Matsuzaka: To be honest, I didn't think it'd be this difficult. The more I research, the more I don't understand (lol). So, rather than trying to refer to sth, I decided to take good care of Sugihara's emotions, ideas, and things that affected his decisions.
Q: Are there any specific aspects that you found difficult or empathetic when you performed?
Matsuzaka: Everything, it was just full of difficult things.
Everyone: laughs
Matsuzaka: Really (lol). When I thought about what his job is, what kind of life he has, and how he lives each day, it was difficult for me to meet someone who was in this line of job, and it was difficult to get information. There was a lot of difficulties with this character. But, at the same time, there're so many places where I can empathize. I have a different profession but I also feel like I have to do sth, I have doubts regarding the commands from above and what I have to do. Every day I was thinking about how to express it.
Shim Eun Kyung: The difficult thing is that it doesn't start with “Why Yoshioka wanted to be a reporter” at the beginning, but as the incidents occurred and gathered, it unfolds her sadness steadily. Before shooting, I thought that I had to make a good research, so I thought about various things and worried more than other works. Yoshioka is a mixed Japanese-Korean, and a repat from U.S. I thought that such an identity was a little hard to digest, so in the flow of the movie's story, I was trying to make it look natural. At first glance, Yoshioka looks calm, but she also has a human part, so I wanted her to show a balance of both. It was difficult to do acting while adjusting (T/N: I think she moved to Japan?), but on the contrary, there were scenes where I got emotional became more natural. Especially, the scene with Matsuzaka Tori was very emotional.
----To be continued in Part 2.
https://jinterviewstrans.blogspot.com/2020/08/director-fujii-michihito-x-shim-eun_19.html
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