Customer interview: Atsuko Sakai (film director)
From newspaper reporter to documentary film director. Atsuko Sakai, who is moving to Taiwan to shoot her next film, visited our restaurant.
As I listened while washing the dishes, I overheard a pleasant conversation with a next customer.
Next Customer(NC)
Are you a documentary film director? What kind of work is it?
Atsuko Sakai (AS)
My representative works include the Taiwan trilogy ``Taiwan Life,'' ``Taiwan Identity,'' and ``Taiwan Banzai,'' in which I interviewed Taiwanese people who were once Japanese. I wanted to convey the real voices and true feelings of the so-called ``Japanese generation,'' people who got Japanese language education as children.
What brought me to Taiwan was a movie ``Vive I'Amour'' (directed by Tsai Ming-liang). I'm completely fascinated by this work “I want to go to Taipei, where the main characters live!” So I went out to visit the sacred places. It was 1998. At the time, I was working as a newspaper reporter, but of course in my private travel.
After touring around Taipei, I also took the opportunity to visit Jiufen, the filming location of the famous movie ``City of Sorrow'' (directed by Hou Hsiao-hsien). Then, as I was standing at the bus stop, an old man approached me in fluent Japanese.
"Are you from Japan? I had a Japanese teacher who treated me very well when I was a child. I would like to meet him and thank him, but that won't happen..."
We said goodbye as the bus arrived and I was shocked. His perfect Japanese language, that sentiment of thinking of his teacher even though it had been 50 years since the end of the war. Taiwan is right next door, but I knew nothing about the people living there. Taiwan was ruled by Japan for 51 years from 1895, and many of those who were educated during that time speak Japanese... It was not that I had no knowledge, but actually talking to them made me realize how ignorant I was. I am not the only one, Japanese people do not know this. I must report them!
N.C
You were a newspaper reporter, why did you become a film maker?
A.S
I worked at the Hakodate branch of the Hokkaido Shimbun, and Hakodate has a film festival that has been running since 1995 (Hakodate Port Illumination Film Festival). I had the opportunity to interview guest directors and actors, and I also helped out as a volunteer, and as I got involved, I started to get interested in movies...and that's when I discovered Taiwan.
So from the beginning, I intended to make a film about Taiwan. At first, it was intended to be a drama movie, but while I was scenario hunting in Taiwan, I realized that I wanted to introduce these grandparents to the Japanese people as they were, and that it would be better to convey them as they were, so I naturally decided to make a documentary. I want you to look at the wrinkles on the face, expressions, voice, and gestures of the person in front of you right now. And I want you to think about it.
Actually, at first I didn't even have any intention of directing, but I forget at what stage, I realized that I had no choice but to do this myself. I met Hirotaka Matsune, a cameraman with whom I have been making films, early on, but it took a long time to raise funds for filming, so I continued to travel to Taiwan by myself, and it took about seven years to make my first film.
I left from being a newspaper reporter in 2000, but a reporter's job is to meet people and listen to their stories, and documentaries have cameras in them...that's the only difference. What we're doing doesn't change. After shooting for about 100 hours, I decided on what to use while receiving advice from editing experts. I'm so bold that people around me are surprised that I have no hesitation(laughs), but I think I'm forming an image as I'm shooting. Which scene leaves the most impression on them, and what does this person want to convey the most? I am always thinking only of ``How can I convey their feelings?''
NC
What was the reaction to the movie?
AS
When we previewed``Taiwan Life'' in the media, a well-known and knowledgeable film critic who was of the same generation as the characters in the movie said, "There were so many things I didn't know! I was surprised." I'll never forget what she said. All the people who appear in the film are living witnesses to history. There were many things that became clear for the first time when they talked about their experiences frankly. I was glad to have met them, and many of them were already quite old, so I was glad I got there in time. It may be like receiving a will. My job is to deliver it properly.
NC
A hidden history has been brought to light.
AS
When the old man approached me in Jiufen, I didn't know anything about Taiwan. "I didn't know anything about Taiwan at all. I didn't even try to know about Taiwan." and “Education in this country (Japan) has never taught about Taiwan even though ruled them” I felt a strong anger towards these two things. This anger is the driving force behind making the film. We can't just say we didn't know.
Japanese history education does not properly teach modern times, but I would like many people to learn more about what Japan did before the war and what Japan did not do after the war. I want you to think about your own country through Taiwan.
So my film doesn't provide answers. It may be said that it is difficult to understand, but I would like everyone to taste it first and then think about it. Taiwan is said to be a pro-Japanese country, but I would like to understand the complex feelings of Taiwanese people that cannot be summed up simply by the word "pro-Japan."
NC
You must have met many people through your work, and touched a lot of information. Why were you so attracted to Taiwan?
AS
Actually, I know very little about Taiwan's tourist spots and gourmet food. Even now, I only get advice from people. What attracted me was the people. The charm of Taiwanese people. I feel so close to them that I think I may have been Taiwanese in a previous life, and when I get off at the airport I want to say, ``I'm home.''
Up until now, I've mostly talked to elderly people, but young people are also wonderful. Many people are proud of being Taiwanese, and because they are always in a politically difficult position, they actively participate in elections. They have different ways of thinking, but they all have their own opinions. I wanted to talk more with them, so I belatedly started studying Taiwanese Mandarin. Currently I am working as a Japanese language teacher.
From the winter of 2023, I will live in Taiwan for a while. This is for filming the next movie. The story is set on an island called Lanyu, where the Tao people live, so I plan to rent a house near there. This island has a storage facility for low-level radioactive waste from nuclear power plants, and residents' movements are also taking place. This time, I'm going to change the theme and shed some light on aspects of Taiwan that weren't well known today.
I start shooting after building relationships of trust with local people, so it always takes me a while to start shooting. Sometimes it takes years to start shooting. Therefore, it will take some time until the movie is completed, but we will definitely deliver something worth watching, so please look forward to it.
(2023)
Atsuko Sakai
Born in Yamaguchi Prefecture in 1969. After graduating from the Faculty of Law at Keio University, she worked for a manufacturer before joining the Hokkaido Shimbun Company. In the world of movies since 2000. In 2009, her first directorial work ``Taiwan Life'', which interviews the Japanese generation, was released. Since then, she has produced ``Opening the Sky: Architect Guo Maolin,'' ``Taiwan Identity,'' ``Two Homelands, One Love: Lee Jun-seop's Wife,'' and ``Taiwan Banzai.''
She is striving to become a bridge between Japan and Taiwan.
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