A teach-in by producer YUKIZANE Ryo was held on Thursday, November 23 at 15:30 at NTT CRED Hall No. 2.

Producer YUKIZANE, who belongs to Star Sands, a film company that has produced numerous socially-conscious films, is the producer of "Village," a film starring YOKOHAMA Ryusei that was screened at the Hiroshima International Film Festival. He spoke about his work as a producer and filmmaking in an at-home atmosphere with facilitator Mr. KIMURA Michita.

Producer YUKIZANE originally worked for another company, but was recognized by KAWAMURA Mitsunobu, founder of Star Sands, and joined the company three years ago. He spoke amusingly about Mr. KAWAMURA, who passed away suddenly last year, and we could feel his respect and love for his mentor.

Producer YUKIZANE said that Mr. KAWAMURA had long been recruiting him to join his company. He was unsure about changing jobs from a stable company, but he chose this path because when he went to see a Star Sands movie, as he watched the credits roll at the end of the movie, he regretted that if he had decided to change jobs earlier, his name would have appeared in the credits of this movie. Rather than hoping for stability, he chose to work where he was needed and from there has delivered many films to the world.

Despite having such a spectacular career, Director and actor MATSUO Suzuki pointed out his twisted mood, saying, "YUKIZANE-san look at the world with a cynical attitude, don't you?" “I was scolded a lot when I was a child and even as an adult, but being scolded means that someone cares about me, and if you get scolded, that's fine! I wonder if that kind of open-mindedness is at the root of my cynicism...?” Producer YUKIZANE did self-analyze himself. The word "cynical" became a hot word in the discussion with facilitator Mr. KIMURA and during the Q&A by the participants, and the teach-in was full of laughter from start to finish.

Of course, we were also able to see his side as a serious producer. He told us that the film production process is like a swan flapping its legs under the water, scraping off flesh and blood until the day it is completed to the highest level and can be presented to the world. At the production site of "Village", it was praised as a kind of stoic battle with the lead actor YOKOHAMA, Ryusei's facial expressions changing according to the stages of the story, and him returning to Director FUJII's requests in full swing.

He also mentioned the same Star Sands production, "The Moon," based on a murder at a facility for the disabled. This film was made with a great deal of determination, and Director ISHII has created a film that has the power to compel the audience to ask questions of himself, not just about whether it is good or bad. This film will be screened at this festival on Saturday, November 25.

Producer YUKIZANE's goal for the future is to continue to pursue the question, "What is a movie? Is it a movie that is shown in a movie theater, or is it also a movie that can be watched on demand? We want to make films that can be enjoyed in any media, while enjoying the changing forms of cinema today. I want to find the answer to the question of what a movie is. Producer YUKIZANE calls himself a cynical person, however he made us feel that he is a beloved filmmaker after all.