By David Poland poland@moviecitynews.com
Standing-Room-Only Premiere Opens NY Asian Film Festival (Sort Of)
I guess technically I was wrong yesterday when I mentioned that the New York Asian Film Festival was kicking off Wednesday night with Takashi Yamazaki’s epic post-WWII drama Always–Sunset on Third Street. Rather, the screening at the Japan Society was something of a warm-up for Friday’s official opening–a sold-out, buzzed-about, turn-away-dozens-at-the-front-door test spin, but a warm-up nevertheless.
Those with the good fortune to get through the door were treated to an introduction by Takashi himself (above), whose Best Director prize was one of 13 Japanese Academy Awards Always claimed in 2005. He explained that he originally had little interest in making the film, but a producer obsessed with 1950s Tokyo would not take “iiya” for an answer.
“Mr. (Shuji) Abe had produced my first two films–this would become my third film,” Takashi said through a translator. “He told me, ‘Only you–because you have been a talented visual effects supervisor and director–you’re the only one who can recreate 1950s Japan today.’ Which, of course, really upset me because he wasn’t buying my skills as a director at all but just as a technician. So I said, ‘Never, never, never will I make this film.’ Even as it was, people around me kept saying, ‘Just go back to doing visual effects,’ which was mind of an insult to my films. So in the midst of that kind of uncertainty and anxiety, for a producer to say, ‘I need your technical mastery’ as opposed to my directorial mastery was very insulting.”
By that point, I was wondering if the translator had her tongue as far into her cheek and Takashi’s was in his own. “He was so obstinate and so persistent,” the director continued, ” and he had let me make two movies that I’d wanted to make, so I figured that it was about time that I owed him this one. So I made this film. And now that it’s turned into such a monster hit, I feel kind of conflicted emotionally.”
The good news for anyone shut out of last night’s barnburner is that Always will re-screen July 1 at the Imaginasian. The bad news, of course, is that Takashi will have jetted back to Japan by that time, and you will be deprived the winning introduction recounting his hometown stardom and his parents’ consideration of him as a “golden prince.” But like I told you yesterday: Do not believe the hype–not even the directors’. This is about the movies.
