Rurou no Tsuki - Tori Matsuzaka/ ELLE Japon (2022年6月）Excerpt

難役に模索した日々。

衝撃作でつかんだ新境地

1. He wrote a diary for the 15 years that Fumi spent apart from Sarasa.

Tori: Loneliness is something that everyone carries throughout our life and cannot be shared with others. However, it is a part of who we are, and I don't think it is necessarily a negative thing. It is because of loneliness that we can feel the happiness of being with someone. 
Tori: After being separated from Sarasa, Fumi is alone again, but I think his loneliness is different from before. When they meet again, I myself felt "I am glad he held on to this irreplaceable bond". It was as if I had found a place of strength. 

Tori: I believe that this is hope for those who wish for this kind of relationship to exist. Even if people don't understand us, we are happy together, and that's all that matters. 

Tori: I want to be an actor who has many opportunities to "reunite" with people I worked with in the past. I'm also scared because it's a test of how I spend my time since the last time I was with them. 

Tori: That's why I'm going to work on each production with a strong focus. I feel that the experience I gained from this film will support me as "I can overcome any situation". 

Rurou no Tsuki/ Wandering - Tori Matsuzaka/ Recap from Kinema Junpo (2022年5月)

The view from normal fans, film writers and film studies people are so different! They even have a different scene for "impressive" scene.

Said the most memorable scene is Fumi's hands when they reunite: the blood flow through his fingers to nails and camera pans to his face?

Also Tori said he wanted to look like a plant and very relieved when Dir. Lee said "You look like a plant." when they first met for rehearsals.

Tori said with this film, he didn't get any sense of accomplishment. He just thinks "there's no ceiling in this job." 

This is really artsy and technical interview. Also have details about filming and auditions. I love it. Will add more later. 

Dir. Lee invited Tori to audition the child Sarasa. At first, they auditioned 9-year olds. Said they're too young to communicate. So, they re-did the audition all over again with older ones and changed the Sarasa's age to 10 in the movie. (*Tamaki is 12) 

Tori said Tamaki and Suzu are completely synced as Sarasa. Dir. Lee gave him 2 weeks time-off for 15 years time skip and when he got back to set, Suzu just came in to cafe and he thought "Oh, it's Sarasa!" and time skip is done. 

Calico is a vertically long, narrow cafe. When Dir. Lee found the place, they thought it's too narrow to shoot in CinemaScope (Note: Wide, 2.66:1). But Hong Kyung Pyo said he has filming exp in a train (*Snowpiercer) and they went ahead with the place.

Everything You Should Know About CinemaScope

What is CinemaScope? Cinemascope is an anamorphic process that compresses an image during filming and uncompresses it when projected.

https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/what-is-cinemascope/

Kinema Junpo praised Hong's cinematography a lot. Especially praised that his talent of using light and atmosphere helped capture Fumi character to the fullest since Fumi has almost no dialogues in the film.

Rurou no Tsuki - Dialogue between Mariko Hayashi & Suzu Hirose

Hayashi: When I saw the film, I found that Dir. Lee left out a lot of things. Eg, what happened at Sarasa aunt's place. He made you say it through the lines.

Suzu: Yes, there were many parts like that.

Hayashi: Did you read this book? 

Suzu: I read it when I was asked to do the project.

Hayashi: Didn't you think it was a little difficult to play the role?

Suzu: I read the book knowing that I was going to play Sarasa, so there were many hints for me to play the role. 

Hayashi: The way you read a book in the cafe was really beautiful, and I thought you showed her essence.

(They recapped the dynamic between the 4 characters) 

Hayashi: Sarasa and Fumi are like soul twins, and I thought it'd be impossible to separate them. Did you and Tori Matsuzaka-san work together perfectly from the beginning? 

Suzu: I started working with Tori-san in the middle of production, but he is very flexible in his sensibilities and acceptance. His brain is so flexible that he accepts anything I do and fits in easily. I thought, "He's the real Fumi!"

Hayashi: I was also surprised as if Fumi came out of the book. He has such a dark and mysterious feel.

Suzu: He's scary. I don't really know who he is (lol).

Hayashi: Your eyes were wonderful. When you're beaten by Ryo, I could see your eyes through the space between his fingers, and your eyes tell so many things. I thought "Suzu has become such an amazing actress."

Suzu: Thank you very much. 

Hayashi: And the girl who played Sarasa's childhood (Tamaki Shiratori) looked so much like you that at first I thought you were playing her. 

Suzu: Really? Actually, I was told that the way she cried while dreaming was exactly the same. I did not see Tamaki on the set, and she may not know how I cry. So when people around me told me, I thought, "Oh.."

Hayashi: You mentioned that you and Matsuzaka-san started working together in the middle of the production, but isn't it difficult to suddenly bring the tension to that level?

Suzu: Yes. Tori had already shot the scenes with Sarasa in her childhood, so he has experienced his life with Sarasa. I started the scenes with Fumi as the grown-up Sarasa in the middle of the film, so Dir. Lee said to me, "Fumi and you have a temperature difference. Why don't you ask Tori-kun about the time he spent with Tamaki?". So, I e-mailed Tori and asked him about it. 

Hayashi: And then?

Suzu: He just replied "I can only put it in an abstract way, but it was very free.". Then, I thought "Free, huh? How broad the world was for these two". Then, I relied on those words.

Hayashi: In this film, there are many scenes of wind, it makes me feel as if I've gained freedom, and I can understand why Tori-san said "freedom".

(About Dir. Lee and Hong)

Suzu: When I saw the first preview, I thought, "Oh no! I am in trouble!"

Hayashi: Why?

Suzu: Tori-san was so wonderful that I was moved and thought, "I'm in trouble," so I ran away and left without giving Dir. Lee any feedback (lol).

Hayashi: That's not true. You gave a wonderful performance!

Rurou no Tsuki - Suzu Hirose (Barfout! 2022年5月)

Q: In the beginning of the film, you seem to be watching, but I was impressed by your eyes that were not "seeing" anything.

Suzu: I think that Sarasa's body instinctively sees only Fumi as a target. Also, Sarasa liked her time with Fumi and herself with Fumi, though she was not that conscious of it. But until she met Fumi again, Sarasa had been living a life of deceiving and lying about various things and to protect only her environment. 

Q: Sarasa has been apart for 15 years and still can't forget the presence of the only one person in her life. I wonder what she was thinking.

Suzu: During those 15 years, I am sure that there were many times that she thought she should forget. She made a choice to stay with Ryo-kun, but I thought that the moment she heard Fumi's voice was when all these things became irrelevant. I could tell that it was just hearing his voice. I thought it was so big that when she noticed it, she knew he was there again. 

Q: When the lights came from Fumi's apartment, Sarasa was happy to see Fumi having a normal life there. I can't forget the scene when Sarasa said to herself, "I'm so happy for Fumi".

Suzu: I had a hard time with that scene. At first, I couldn't speak frankly like that. 

Q: I felt that you really said "I'm glad" without any hesitation.

Suzu: I didn't want to show some kind of strange jealousy. Yes, I thought it would be better that way, but I couldn't be that honest emotionally (lol). 

Q: What do you feel about the relationship between Sarasa and Fumi?

Suzu: It is not hard to understand, and I wish I had someone like that. I envy them. I think that Sarasa was most encouraged by Fumi, who did not deny or affirm her feelings, but rather welcomed her. Knowing that kind of relationship, I thought that it would be great if I could meet someone who could be like that. 

Q: How do you feel during the filming?

Suzu: My emotions move when I interact with people. There were moments when I could feel the warmth of the other person, so it was easier to play, or I could feel the details. I struggled with my anger and unforgiving emotions. 

Q: You mentioned that you have feelings when interacting with people. What was your impression of Matsuzaka?

Suzu: Tori-san is very flexible. Even if he is stuck in the tunnel for a long time, he is a person who never gives up until the end, which I respect him as a person. When I decided to do Rurou no tsuki, I was working with him at the same time. I started by liking him as a person, and then, on the set, we were together but kept a distance. I don't know if we were communicating or not, but I think we had the nuance that it would be nice if we felt the same way. I was committed to it, but I honestly wasn't sure if Fumi was the same. 

Q: It's not a poker face, but Fumi definitely has a feel that although he accepted you, it was difficult to see his true feelings. 

Suzu: I don't know if I should touch him or not. If I touch him, it seems as if he might easily shatter into pieces. I think I said myself that he understands me, but there were times when I wondered what Fumi's looking at. 

Q: Do you think that Sarasa's feelings for Fumi are similar to attraction?

Suzu: Not "attraction", but Sarasa is Fumi. He was the one who let her be free. I think it was her salvation and life at the time, and I am sure that feeling will not change when she becomes an adult. 

Suzu: There are times when we ask others to decide for us, to choose with us, or to support us. But rather than that, I think "I am who I am" is what Sarasa and Fumi want to convey the most this time. Dir. Lee Sang-il even said, "I want you to remember Fumi's words that 'You belong to yourself, Don't let anyone own you.". I think that these words are something that everyone, regardless of generation, can somehow understand. 

Q: When do you feel these words in your own life?

Suzu: When Dir. Lee told me that (LOL). I was talking with him and he said, "I wish I could say Fumi's lines to you" (lol). 

Disclaimer: Suzu answered every question without any pronouns to differentiate Sarasa or herself. Since english language can't "not use" pronouns, I used "she/her" for what I think she was talking about Sarasa. Might be wrong in that sense. 

Rurou no Tsuki - Tori Matsuzaka (CUT 2022年5月)

Introduction

Once again in Rurou no Tsuki/ Wandering, we witnessed a "Tori Matsuzaka" we had never seen before. We have been amazed by his performances many times before, but this time he takes us to a new place in cinema.

Q: How did you understand the sadness and loneliness of Fumi in the story?

Tori: When I read the original and script, I had an image of Fumi sitting alone in the middle of a large, quiet lake, a place of his own choice. I decided to use it as a starting point to explore. However, I am still not sure if my understanding of Fumi was correct. He was such a deep and complex person. 

Q: How did you convey this image of Fumi in your portrayal?

Tori: I tried to do everything I could think of. I was so excited when Dir. Lee suggested that I actually sleep over in the apartment where Fumi and 10-year-old Sarasa stayed together, and I did. I thought about Sarasa while making coffee, kept a diary as Fumi, and carved wood while thinking about my parents....I did many things. I don't know if I can answer that I was satisfied, but I did everything I could to make Fumi look like the way I wanted him to look. It was like I was navigating through a fog. I realized it's important to have a genuine feeling for the character. In this film, I experienced for myself the reality of what Fumi experienced and felt. Through accumulation of these, I was finally able to face each scene. 

Q: Have you ever had a role with so much importance placed on the experience of the role?

Tori: I haven't had experience of going into set with such an accumulation of feelings and emotions. The nature of this film made it necessary for me to do so, and it was very significant for me to be given the time to do so. Looking back, it's the first time in my acting career that I was able to spend this much time on one performance. Truly a luxurious time for me. That finally brought us to the point where Fumi finally shared the truth with Sarasa. As if a glass of water was in a state where surface pressure was preventing it from overflowing, but in that scene, the pressure was lifted and the water just poured out of it. I think it was necessary to bring it to that point. 

Q: What was the most challenging thing about playing Fumi?

Tori: Fumi has a truth that he cannot confide in others, and he is either rejected by society or chooses to be rejected by himself, and he cannot share his struggles with his parents. In this situation, Fumi found a connection with Sarasa, and he clung to that connection for the rest of his life. The biggest challenge for me was to fill in the blanks that were not depicted, such as what I felt and how I spent the 15 years until I met Sarasa again. 

Q: How do you understand what Sarasa was to Fumi?

Tori: She was the one who gave Fumi freedom. He had made a choice to be alone, and Sarasa stepped into his mind and transformed his lonely space into a liberated space. She was such a special presence. Those memories of spending time with Sarasa is why Fumi was able to survive the 15 years that they were separated. Else, Fumi might not be in this world anymore. It may be an impossible relationship in society's eyes, but for Fumi, that connection was absolutely necessary. 

Q: What resonated most with you as Fumi?

Tori: I think it was the special relationship between the two of them, a relationship that cannot be expressed in existing words. What does this mean for my own senses? I also felt hope for the existence of this kind of relationship. I think it is very beautiful to have such an unshakable and very pure relationship. A relationship that is connected at the bottom of one's soul is not something that can be easily created, even if one seeks it. 

Q: How did you try to express that sense of hope through Fumi?

Tori: I felt myself really enjoying when Fumi was with Sarasa, 15 years ago. I thought what a happy time it was, as if a light of hope had shone down on Fumi. So for Fumi, it was more like being drawn to hope by the other person rather than expressing that hope myself. 

Q: Did you keep anything in particular in mind?

Tori: I think about how many things Fumi has given up, there is a part of him that I can't fully comprehend, no matter how much I think about it. How far does the bottom of this lake go? The more I looked into the lake, the deeper and deeper I felt as if I was looking into the water, which was becoming more and more jet-black in color. I was able to express this through working together with Yayako Uchida (mother), Tamaki Shiratori and Suzu Hirose (Sarasa-s). It may sound contradictory that Fumi was lonely, but he could not express himself without someone else. I think I could not portray in this role if I did not receive presents from many people. 

Q: Did you feel frustrated or disappointed that you couldn't fully explore the character like Fumi?

Tori: Yes, but it was Dir. Lee Sang-il who helped me with that anxiety. When I was in front of the camera, he waited for me to be ready in front of the camera. I felt that kind of reassurance from him both before we started shooting and on set. Along with anxiety, I had a sense of security that everything would be okay. I think that's why we were able to complete the shoot. It was almost like becoming Fumi together. I have met directors who think from the same perspective as me, but this was a little different. He tried to become Fumi with me, and that was very reassuring. 

Shikei ni Itaru Yamai - Sadao Abe X Kenshi Okada (Cinema ⭐️ Cinema)

 

Abe: My elder sister is Okada-kun's fan. She found out about this movie on instagram and called me "Wow, you're doing a movie with Okada!!!" 🤣

Okada: Abe-san told me about this on set and I decided to join the Abe family. 

Okada: I was very impressed by Yamato's (Abe) very abstract and artistic last cut. Watching the backs of the crew as they prepared to shoot that, I thought again, "Ah, films are wonderful". I don't know how this film will be received, but I hope those same age as me will see it. 

Okada: I think I was able to create a proper persona for Masaya (Okada's chara) is a part of my performance that I can appreciate myself. Maybe Dir. Shiraishi and I happened to have the same interpretation of the role, but I don't remember him directing me too much this time. 

Okada: There were no misunderstandings between us, and we were able to work together. I suggested things to the director and he said, "I like this element better.". We just worked this way. 

Abe: I wasn't given much direction either, but there is a scene where Yamato (Abe's chara) is drinking tea while looking at a tree he planted over a dead body. I was crossing my legs there. But Dir. Shiraishi said "Can't you imagine playing Yamato with his legs uncrossed?" 

Abe: I felt like that is where Yamato was born. I thought, "Oh, Yamato is a man who keeps his legs uncrossed," and such things are unexpectedly important. 

Rurou no Tsuki - Crosstalk with Yu Nagira X Suzu Hirose X Tori Matsuzaka (Shimi no Techo)

 

Please don't copy or reproduce this translation. 

Word Count: 2418, 18.6 Minutes.

A relationship that cannot be named - but a feeling that certainly exists. Yu Nagira's novel "Rurou no Tsuki," which describes the distance between people's souls, won the Booksellers Award in 2020 and captured the hearts of many people.

The world of "Rurou no Tsuki" has now been made into a film by director Lee Sang-il, who also directed the movie "VILLIAN". The two stars of the film say that acting is a process of immersing themselves in the story, and that the days of filming were both painful and fulfilling. Suzu Hirose, Tori Matsuzaka, and Yu Nagira share their quiet and sincere thoughts about the film. On the day of the interview, the two actors were wearing masks and were meeting each other through acrylic panels due to Corona, but it was impressive to see Hirose and Matsuzaka leaning forward at the same time so as not to miss any of the author's words.

A world that was difficult to put into words and one that deeply moved me.

Q: You have seen the first preview.

Nagira : It was just like a world so amazing that I can't give any immediate impressions after watching it. Such a wonderful film that I needed time to swallow it, sort it out, and put it together. Thank you very much.

Q: What did you keep in mind when you were expressing the nameless relationship depicted in the novel with a "film"?

Matsuzaka: I had never played a role like Saeki Fumi, a role that is so difficult to put into words, and the first image that came to mind when talking with Lee Sang-il was of him sitting alone, hugging his knees, in the middle of a large, calm lake. I really resonated with that image, and that's how we started to explore the idea.

Hirose: Kanai Sarasa has lived a very normal life, not carrying anything heavy on her back, not doing anything in particular. However, although those who are watching her may somehow perceive something, she herself remains unaware of it. So, to what extent am I showing this to Fumi and Ryo Nakase? Or do they believe in what I am showing them? I was thinking about these things.

Q: Did you ever talk to each other about your roles?

Matsuzaka: We never did.

Hirose: Yes, we never did.

Nagira: Really?

Matsuzaka: But we had a lot of time for communication and rehearsals. So, we were able to establish a distance.

Nagira: Now it became very clear to me. When I was writing the novel, Sarasa and Fumi are two people, but I was conscious of them living as one and the same. So when I saw the film and heard that the two of them did not talk about their roles, it made a lot of sense to me.

Matsuzaka: I'm glad!

Hirose: I am so happy.

Nagira: In the past, I have received comments from people who have read the novel, such as "I don't know how to explain this emotion". I have also seen a preview of the film, and my impression was exactly the same. When I wondered if readers had also received the novel in this way, I realized that there is indeed a connection between the novel and the film. I could only say, "Amazing, amazing," because you were able to express so beautifully what was inexpressible.

Something unintentionally generated by being immersed in the story.

Nagira: I had seen both of you on TV before, but seeing you in person was very different. When I first saw the poster, I thought "Oh, it's Fumi" and "It's Sarasa". I heard that he lost a lot of weight for the role, so I was very surprised to see how amazing actors are and how they can become like this. I was also surprised when I heard that Matsuzaka-san's shout in one scene was actually an ad-lib. It was nothing but Fumi's words. In such a situation, the voice of the role comes out, not his own. I wonder.

Matsuzaka: It was the end of filming, and all the things I had accumulated with Suzu-chan and Dir. Lee had been building up inside me, and it was a moment when they just came pouring out. I felt a sense of relief that I had not heard any comments from Dir. Lee, and I felt like, "Oh, that's good."

Nagira: Dir. Lee accepting Matsuzaka-san's outpouring words was also something that could only be done by understanding Fumi. Is this a common thing with actors? Do you think that the actors are able to come up with words in their performances that are not in the script?

Matsuzaka: It depends on the person.

Hirose: The distance between Fumi and me was different each time, not necessarily in the script. We filmed a series of takes when Fumi interacted with me. For the first time, he pats me on the head. Sometimes he would stroke me three times, sometimes he would just put his hand on my head, and sometimes he would follow the shape of my head.

Matsuzaka: It was different every time, right? I apologized in my mind, saying, "Sorry!"

Hirose: But there were times when I thought, "Oh, this is it." Later, Dir. Lee also said, "Maybe that take was the one."

Matsuzaka: And then there was the scene where the two of them were talking for the first time.

Hirose: I felt like my inner self was coming out of me as I played the role. 

Nagira: Actually, I was able to observe the filming of that scene. I watched from a distance, and they were really reshooting the scene many times. At that time, there was a sense of distance or emotion that only the two of them could understand.

Hirose: Yes, we certainly were. Dir. Lee was the one who understood this most objectively and accurately assessed the situation, saying, "The two of you are communicating now". However, he kept telling us, "I don't think you two are communicating".

Nagira: You are not communicating.....

Hirose: If there was even a slight mismatch, we would have to reshoot. But when I thought, "Oh, now, everything is there," we got the OK. 

Nagira: Wow! It means he could see everything, right?

Q: Was there anything in the direction that you were not satisfied with, or difficult?

Matsuzaka: Not really, but there were things that I knew in my head but could not express in my body. It was like doing homework every day, trying to figure out what to do about it.

Nagira: For example, what kind of things?

Matsuzaka: We spent about two days shooting the scene where I meet Sarasa again. That time, Dir. Lee said "You haven't been through it yet. Homework." I was in distress at the hotel, reading the script and the original story, thinking "What in the world did he give me for homework?" 

Hirose: For me, there was a scene that was not in the script but Dir. Lee suddenly told me one day to walk free along the river where Fumi's cafe is located. While I was running and walking around in the middle of the long shot, I saw Matsuzaka-san, and I thought, "Oh, it's Fumi! I jumped up and tried to peek in, and that scene was used in the film.

Matsuzaka: Oh, really, that scene was used in the film.

Hirose: There was a scene at the lake of Fumi and young Sarasa, and I was told that I should be there too. I also wanted to see Sarasa in her childhood, but Dir. Lee told me that I mustn't see the scene. So I was glad to hear how she looked like.

Nagira: What?

Hirose: I don't know!

Nagira: What?

Hirose: But I was curious about it, so I went to Dir. Lee's house and had dinner with him. I told him that I felt a gap between the young Sarasa and the present me, and that I felt uncomfortable. He said "Well, you are right." but that was the end of it.

Matsuzaka: He told her "You're not allowed".

Hirose: Yes! But I was allowed to go there for a bit, just for the scene in the park where we met. I was told to stay out of the view of Tamaki Shiratori (who plays Sarasa as a child).

Matsuzaka: Well... since Tamaki might lose her concentration. 

Hirose: I think so.

Nagira: The interaction between the two of you is very heartwarming. Rurou no Tsuki" has a long passage of time in the story, and the timeline goes back and forth. Did you follow the order of the scenes during filming?

Matsuzaka: No, we followed the script, from meeting Sarasa at a young age to their separation.

Hirose: So, it was easy for the emotions to flow.

Matsuzaka: I am grateful that the film was shot with such an emphasis on the flow of time.

Nagira: How long was the shooting period?

Matsuzaka: The shooting itself took about two and a half months, and including rehearsals, it took a little over three months.

Nagira: During that time, did you spend the whole time in the role?

Matsuzaka: Well... when the shooting stopped for two weeks because of corona, I was thinking about Sarasa all the time and making coffee every day.

Nagira: I am curious what kind of time it was.

Matsuzaka: I was thinking that this was the only thing I could do at the moment to focus on the role.

Hirose: I was living a normal life. It was like Sarasa's daily life when she couldn't see Fumi.

Nagira: Did you practice coffee?

Matsuzaka: Yes, I did. I brewed coffee everyday.

Hirose: It was very delicious! I like it black, so I could drink as much as I wanted.

Matsuzaka: I think I probably consumed a lot of caffeine (lol).

Nagira: I think it is amazing that actors practice for their roles, even for things that are not directly related to the role.

Matsuzaka: But I also kept on wondering, "What was Fumi thinking about?" during rehearsals and practice sessions. I was able to look at the time as Fumi, which was not in the script or in the drafts. I enjoyed making coffee so much that I continued to make coffee even after the shooting was over.

Q: Do you feel any joy in having completed the role?

Matsuzaka: Joy? Joy.... I guess. I had the feeling that I had been in a very dense atmosphere, or perhaps a haze, for a long time, and I finally got out of it.

Hirose: It was always difficult for me. No matter what I say or where I go, I only have memories of being in pain.

Nagira: I think both Fumi and Sarasa had really painful roles, and I am sorry for that, but at the same time, I am filled with gratitude.

Q: Once again, how do you feel about today?

Nagira: It was a very important time. I have been a writer for a long time, but this is the first book I have written as a general fiction writer, the first film adaptation as a general fiction writer, and the first time I have had the opportunity to talk with the actors.

Matsuzaka: I am relieved to hear your impression of the preview. I am relieved, or rather, I feel a little calmer now that I was able to ask you about the part that had been bothering me. It was kind of hard for me to watch it objectively at all.

Nagira: Is it always like that?

Matsuzaka: No... I have not experienced such a work so difficult to be objective as this one. Even in the previews, I couldn't help but keep my eyes down, even when I wasn't in the scene myself.

Hirose: I am glad that I had this opportunity to talk to you about it, because I still don't have a good grasp of it.

Q: How do you feel about each of them?

Nagira: I am completely awestruck.

Matsuzaka: Then let me start (laughs). I was intrigued by the gap between someone who speaks so calmly, quietly, and politely, and someone who has created a world that is so formless, or that cannot be easily described. It was like that.

Hirose: Indeed, you are right. When I was acting, I read the book over and over again and found many hints in it. That's why I was really happy when you said at the beginning, "The movie connects with the original".

Nagira: Thank you very much! After talking to the two of you, I realized that the actors were able to express each of the sentences I had written in a series of more than 300 pages with the slightest movement of their fingers or their eyes. When I watched the preview of the film, I could directly feel that "Oh, they exchanged this line, this word, just by looking at each other" because I was the one who created the story. I am so glad that I was able to have the two of you play Sarasa and Fumi. And today, I am happy to be able to express my gratitude to you.

Delivering the film with determination to watch it with preparation.

Q: Finally, please give us a message for the release of the film.

Matsuzaka: As you said, our job is to convey the world expressed in words with our bodies. That's why I hope that those who read the original book and look forward to seeing the film will feel the newly acquired warmth when they actually see the film.

Hirose: I think that some people may find it endearing, while others may find it frightening. I think it is different for everyone, so I am looking forward to it, but I am also afraid of it. We want to deliver the film with determination, and I hope people will watch it with preparation.

Nagira: I was deeply moved by your words "with determination". It is not a film that says much, but it is full of unspoken things that are contained in the atmosphere and signs. Therefore, I think the impression will be completely different depending on the person who sees it, but I hope you will be able to feel all the things expressed by the cast and staff...really, please take in every bit of it.