Yoichi Sai: Good Films Need Strong Self-AssertionYoichi Sai from Japan, director of Quill, has once moved the whole Asia with that guide dog story. As a student of Nagisa Oshima and Toru Murakawa, Sai is now one of the leading directors of Japanese film industry. Coming to Shanghai as a jury member, he tells us about his film understandings. He stresses that directors need to have strong self-assertion in their films, but he also says directors sometimes have to compromise with commercial films, under the current film industry.
Daily News: You have a vote for this year\'s Golden Goblet Award. Do you have your unique perspective?
Yoichi Sai: Of course, I will judge according to my own personality. But mostly, I judge in my first impression, and I won\'t disfavor blockbusters or favor art films just because of what they are.
Daily News: So far as you\'ve seen,what kind of competition films have pleased you ?
Yoichi Sai: I won\'t talk about the question, so as to aviod everyone speculating on the winners. As to the films, there are something different from my expectations. My prefigure is that there will be stronger advocates in the films. But in some films, the directors seem too far away from the characters. I would like to see a screenwriter or a director has his/her own thoughts in the films.
Daily News: You were born and raised in Japan, you\'re also influenced by the Korean culture, and you have both Japanese and Korean cultural backgrounds. So what\'s your take on the status quo of the Asian film industry, especially that of Japan and Korea?
Yoichi Sai:There are huge differences between Japanese films and Korean films. Japanese films are mainly produced by TV stations, and that\'s why I\'m worried about their qualities. Korean films are developing with better qualities after the country\'s recession, because they had to start from the bottom. So the two countries have huge differences.
Daily News:You have strong emotions for both Japan and Korea. So in your films, will you intentionally combine the two cultures, for example, in Blood & Bones?
Yoichi Sai: I do have the emotions you mentioned, but that doesn\'t mean I have special intentions. I have bloods of both Japan and Korea from my parents, but I\'m not confined to the two cultures only. I\'m a part of Asia. I have both two bloods, so I\'m more of an Asian director.
Daily News: In your directing career, Quill is something very different from your films before. What\'s the reason for the change?
Yoichi Sai: I didn\'t mean to change my style with that film. I love dogs very much, and I had some connection with Q\'s birth. Before Q became a guide dog, I spent some time with its mother, and that\'s why I made the film. I\'m happy the film was very popular, and brought a lot of money to my film company.
Daily News:How many dogs did you use in shooting Quill? How did you instruct those special "actors"?
Yoichi Sai: From Q\'s birth to death, I prepared a total of 21 dogs. For the new-born puppy, I got three. When they grew into guide dogs, it was mainly two dogs. The elder brother was given more time, because it acted better. For Quill, I had Japan\'s best dog trainer, and whichever performances I needed, he would just train the dogs to be responsive. The dogs were very clever. They could understand all we wanted, whether it was rehearsal or real shooting.
Daily News: You just mentioned Quill\'s commercial success. For directors like you, do you also have to balance commercial and art?
Yoichi Sai: Yes, I do like art films. But under the current Japanese film industry, directors will also have to shoot some commercial productions.
Daily News:Many people may not know that you played a role in a film by Nagisa Oshima. Can you talk about that experience?
Yoichi Sai: (Laughing) The film that had me in wasn\'t popular at all.
Daily News:During the press conference as well as the Japan Film Week, you said you want to work with Chinese filmmakers. Have you had any chances here so far?
Yoichi Sai: I\'m still learning about Chinese films. That doesn\'t mean I haven\'t a plan, but, it\'s also hard to say what the next step will be. But for one thing, if I have to choose a Chinese city to start, I will choose Shanghai.