Lounge
March 12, 2015
Keiko Toda: From stage to screen, and even volunteer work – a powerful start to 2012!
Keiko Toda: From Stage and Drama to Volunteer Work
A Powerful Start to 2012! (1)
Actress Keiko Toda, known for her demanding schedule, is as energetic as ever this year. She looks back on a whirlwind two months that took her not only across Japan but around the globe, with stage performances, drama filming, and activities with her volunteer team.
Text by Keiko Toda
Tapping Isao Hashizume’s Forehead?
I had a good rest over the New Year holidays, and in January, we had performances of the play "8 Women" in Osaka and Nagoya. The final performance in Nagoya concluded successfully on January 14th. I am deeply grateful for the many rounds of applause and standing ovations. The cast, led by Maiko, who was making her stage debut, had tears in their eyes. I, however, was the only one beaming with joy at the end of all the performances, having navigated a hellish schedule that overlapped continuous drama filming with play rehearsals. (Laughs)
From mid-January, I was in Kyoto, at Toei Studios, for the filming of the two-hour drama "Kyoto Murder Case," starring the wonderful Isao Hashizume. It was a delightful surprise to learn that our characters were ex-spouses. The age difference? While there's quite a gap in reality, it's irrelevant in the drama! Hashizume-san plays a university professor researching historical meteorology, and I play the university's chairperson. In our scenes together, I tap my ex-husband's forehead! (Laughs)
The master of the coffee shop where Hashizume-san's character lodges is played by Soichiro Kitamura. It's a drama with a rather mature cast... or rather (laughs), a drama with a very refined, adult sensibility. History buffs will find it twice as enjoyable!
My own screen time was limited to brief appearances (laughs), so the filming wrapped up quickly. However, if this drama were to become a series, I'd love to have a more substantial role next time. I want to savor my scenes with the esteemed Isao Hashizume even more!
Keiko Toda: From Stage and Drama to Volunteer Work
A Powerful Start to 2012! (2)
May this drama, a "light" of "hope," reach your hearts.
In February, I began filming another two-hour drama, "3.11: What Happened in Ishinomaki? – Six Wall Newspapers." It's a unique drama, almost like a reenactment film, where all the cast members portray real individuals. During filming, I had the opportunity to reflect on the meaning and significance of participating in this project. I feel deeply honored to have been offered a role among so many talented actresses.
I played Michiko Hirai, a reporter for the Ishinomaki Nichinichi Shimbun. I found myself walking through water, being stopped from taking photos, wrapped in a blanket at an evacuation center, and unable to meet with family... Recreating these scenes was challenging enough; imagining the reality is beyond comprehension.
A particularly striking scene during filming depicted the wall newspapers created by the Nichinichi Shimbun posted at the entrance of a convenience store in Ishinomaki, with townspeople gathered to read them. In today's world, saturated with information, imagine how powerful those wall newspapers must have been when lifelines were cut and everything was lost. I was deeply moved by the sense of mission of the Nichinichi Shimbun reporters. It was truly a "light." This small scene, recreated in front of the convenience store, touched me deeply.
We also filmed in Ishinomaki, where the disaster-stricken area was a vast expanse of white snow. It was still heartbreakingly empty. Piles of wrecked cars were visible in the distance by the sea, but otherwise, there was nothing.—. I was stunned. The shock was perhaps even greater than when I first witnessed the scene immediately after the earthquake. Seeing the unchanged landscape brought tears of pity and regret.
While it's important to "never forget that day" in the drama, we must also remember everything that was difficult and unbearably sad—. Just as the information from the wall newspapers provided "light" in the darkness, I sincerely hope this drama will serve as a "light" of "hope" to reach everyone's hearts. I, myself, will renew my resolve to continue my volunteer activities, keeping the affected regions in my thoughts.
Keiko Toda: From Stage and Drama to Volunteer Work
A Powerful Start to 2012! (3)
I Feel Like Making a Statement in Children's Filmmaking in Japan!
From February 13th, I embarked on a whirlwind three-day trip to the Berlin Film Festival! My purpose was to select films for the Kinderfilm Festival to be held in Germany this summer and to meet with industry professionals. This was my second visit to Berlin, the first being for the film "Radio Time."
The animated film we watched with the children of Berlin on the big screen was a Latvian production. Naturally, the screen displayed Latvian, with English subtitles, and a single person provided a voice-over in German. I was a bit panicked! (Laughs) Later, I spoke with chairpersons from various countries and learned that it's common for one person to voice-over all characters in their native language. They were surprised by the Japanese style, where several people dub all the characters. It made me proud to realize what a remarkable feat we accomplish!
However, reality dictates that pride alone is not enough. I was astonished by the passion for children's filmmaking in other countries, far surpassing Japan's, not just in quantity but also in the sheer number of live-action films produced alongside animation. This fueled my desire to see these wonderful films shown to many more children in Tokyo, and it made me feel like making a statement in children's filmmaking in Japan.
Furthermore, the dedication of those involved in children's programming in each country—. This, too, gave me much to consider in various ways. It's the same in Tokyo. While volunteering is commendable, various forms of support and funding are necessary. All of this is for the sake of children cultivating rich hearts and for their prosperous futures.
This summer marks the 20th Kinderfilm Festival. I am committed to making it even more enjoyable for everyone. And if I have the chance to visit the Berlin Film Festival again, I'd like to stay longer next time and see even more films! Oh, and by the way, the food was incredibly delicious. As were the German beer and German wine! (Laughs)
