“He is an absolute master of light, frame and breath.”

Director Martin Scorsese said this about director Kiyoshi Kurosawa (黒澤清, 67) after watching the movie 'The Cure'. This film was released in 1997 by director Kurosawa. However, this review became a hot topic in North America last year. This is because 'Cure' was revived and released as a 4K remastered version in North American theaters after 24 years.

The same goes for domestic. The film will be revived after 25 years and will be officially released for the first time on the 6th of this month. In the meantime, 'Cure' has only been released through film festivals, etc., and has never been officially released. It has only been handed down through word of mouth from movie buffs and critics.

Director Kurosawa, whom I recently met at the Jeonju Film Festival, laughed, saying, “I don’t know why either.” He made his debut in 1983 with the comedy film 'Kanda Cheonan War' and shot commercial films for 40 years, but only recently he said he was busy signing autographs for young movie fans who recognized his face on the street. The so-called 'reverse run' is popular. Last year, he also received the 'Embroidery Award', a cultural decoration from the Japanese government. I met him who emerged as a 'star director' 40 years after his debut.

◇Song Kang-ho cannot be cast with the Japanese film budget

The recent reverse popularity of 'Cure' is related to the attention of Asian films around the world. This is because director Bong Joon-ho of the movie 'Parasite', director Ryusuke Hamaguchi of 'Drive My Car', and director Yeon Sang-ho of 'Inferno' have all respected him as a director. Director Park Chan-wook also said, "If someone asks me, 'What is the life of people in modern society like?', I will tell you to look at Kurosawa Kiyoshi's works."

-Many directors in Korea and Japan consider you a respected teacher. Director Hamaguchi said, “I learned a new perception of the amazing person, the movie itself, and the making of the movie.”

“I met Hamaguchi 15 years ago as students and teachers at Tokyo University of the Arts graduate school. When he was a student, his work was as good as it is now. But since it's a student work, I had to say something, so I said, 'It's very good. However, I think there are too many lines and movements. Wouldn’t it be nice to change this part like this?” However, when I looked at the next work, it was not reflected at all, haha! That's how Hamaguchi pushed his own way and continued to create his work.”

-Director Bong also said that he was inspired by 'The Cure' when making the movie 'Memories of Murder'. He also said, “If you create a fan club for director Kiyoshi, Hamaguchi and I will have to compete.” Director Yeon also said that he was inspired by 'Cure' when making 'Hell'.

“I was a fan of them too. I also really liked director Park Chan-wook, and I saw Yeon's 'Train to Busan' and 'Peninsula'. I saw director Bong's 'Parasite' after the news of the Academy Award. In fact, before I watched it, I was anxious and worried that director Bong had also worked with Netflix, so it might have been made with American themes, emotions, and techniques. However, in reality, it was a work full of Bong's personality, who was not conscious of the academy at all. Sometimes I say that to my juniors. “I just have to keep working on what I believe in,” he said. Those thoughts may have had an impact, but their performance is their competence.”

-There are many people who see this as the heyday of Asian cinema. Director Park's 'Decision to Break Up' and Kore-eda Hirokazu's 'Broker' received attention at the Cannes International Film Festival recently.

“It's something to celebrate. By the way, haven't both directors received many awards at Cannes? If you meet them, you'll be like, 'Isn't that enough? Give me some concessions.” haha! Bong Joon-ho, Hamaguchi, Park Chan-wook, and Kore-eda are in the same frame of Asia, but all four directors are making completely different films. Many people in the US or Europe may have only recently been introduced to Asian cinema. I believe that the more they fall into Asian films and find new charms, the greater their heyday will come.”

-A feature of recent Asian films is that director Park casts Chinese actor Tang Wei, and director Kore-eda works with Korean actors such as actor Song Kang-ho.

“Actually, I was so envious when I saw that director Kore-eda made a movie with actor Song Kang-ho. Song Kang-ho is the actor I wanted to work with the most from a long time ago. He melts into different characters in each movie, but he does not abandon his individuality as Song Kang-ho. He has a variety of colors but doesn't let go of himself. I really liked that part, so I looked into it, but the appearance fee was too expensive. In the current Japanese film production system, there is no capital available for famous Korean actors (the movie 'Broker' is made with Korean capital). Currently, most Japanese films are made with low budgets.”

-Is the Japanese film industry stagnant?

“I think the heyday of Japanese cinema was in the 1950s and 1960s. At that time, Japanese movies were not boring, and there were many great movies. At that time, the studio system was well developed, so instead of relying only on the talent of the director, the actors, staff, and everyone else worked together to make a movie. However, compared to that time, the Japanese film industry is stagnant now, and it has become very boring. It's not so good that I'm worried that it might disappear like this. The good news is that talented directors are constantly making many films. If you discover something abroad, the legacy will continue. On the other hand, Korean movies and dramas are at their peak. It is recognized in many countries, and I also think it is very good.”

◇The biggest fear is 'loneliness'

Director Kiyoshi Kurosawa's nickname in North America and Europe is 'Japan's David Cronenberg'. It is evaluated as defining the color of Japanese horror films as a horror trilogy leading to 'Cure', 'Circuit (2000)' and 'The Scream (2007)'.

- Why do people watch horror movies?

“For thousands of years, humans have had a fear of death. 'What will happen if I die, will I be reborn?' Some people will be happy with the anticipation of going to the world left behind after death or a new world because they imagine it a lot, while others will be scared. Religion was born in this flow, and the existence of ghosts was also created. The fear of death, the fear of the unknown, is scary, but there is pleasure from anticipation of what comes next.”

-What is your biggest fear?

“It is loneliness. A situation where no one talks to me. When I think about why people have such a great fear of death, it is because I imagine that by dying, I will be cut off from everyone I have communicated with and end up in a lonely state where only I am. The fear of being identifiable is less frightening. The fear of the unknown is the scariest.”

-What about the corona pandemic?

“It seems to feel more scary because it is a virus we do not know about. Although the virus itself is dangerous, some people end up asymptomatic, while others become severely ill. What I felt with Corona is that human behavior comes out in a variety of ways in a single incident. This kind of diversity that fights over whether or not to wear a mask, this is more frightening.”

-What was the first horror movie you saw?

“When I was five years old, it was the monster movie 'Godzilla'. While watching a movie sitting in a dark theater, the entire village is destroyed and people are trampled to death by the monster. It was scary, but seeing that horror was one of the joys. When you go to the movies, isn't there the joy of anticipation that 'something scary is going to happen' as the lights go out and it gets dark? That was the first time I felt that horror movies can give people joy and anticipation only when they are scary.”

- From then on, did you dream of becoming a film director?

"no. It was by accident that I became a film director. I liked movies, but I never thought that I would become a director and shoot for such a long time.”

-I heard you were involved in a movie club when you were at Rikkyo University.

“It was really a hobby. When I was in school, I didn't really have any dreams. However, he thought he wanted to be a biologist since middle school, and he wanted to major in biology, but he went to sociology due to the high threshold of college. In fact, he had no passion for his studies at all. So at the time, I didn't even think deeply about 'what I should be, what I want to be'. She joined the movie club because she really liked movies. It wasn’t even a film school, I just loved making films on film.”