I Wanted to Ask About "What Matters Now" and "The Way of Living" Through Film

Yurri NomuraFor this film, I wanted people to experience the invisible aspects of food—the spaces and emotions surrounding it—through their five senses. As someone living in this era, who has the opportunity to work with the title of "food director," a role unimaginable in the past, I felt I could pose questions to society through the lens of food. That's why I decided to take on the challenge of making this movie.

Tadanobu Asano and UA are both experienced performers. Asano, in particular, is deeply knowledgeable in his field, so we had many discussions, and he offered his support and concern. Since this was a documentary, both were very committed to the authenticity of the scenes.

To share one anecdote, in the scene where UA is buying vegetables, she exclaims, "Oh, a wild boar!" That actually happened because the cameraman stumbled and made a loud noise, and she reacted to that by saying, "A wild boar!" (laughs).

The scene in the tea room with Asano and Soya Sen was shot in a single take. When I asked if they wanted to do a simulation first, they replied, "This is a documentary, right?" and began filming immediately. Witnessing the atmosphere between Asano and Sen deepen organically during that time was truly remarkable.

Officially Selected for the "Documentary of the World" Section at the 33rd Montreal World Film Festival!

Actually, a hidden theme of this film is "to invigorate Japan," so being recognized internationally is incredibly gratifying.
Japan has so many wonderful things, and its culture is something to be proud of. Food transcends borders, so I hope many people around the world will get to see this film.