A press conference for “TOUCH” was held on November 23rd (Sat) from 4:30 p.m. at NTT CRED Hall No. 2 and was participated by Director Baltasar KORMÁKU and press of about 20 media in and out of Hiroshima prefecture. The moderator was Tomoko NISHIZAKI of Hiroshima Film Commission. The interpreter was Pauline BALDWIN.

Director KORMÁKU said “Since I did not even imagine having a screening and a press conference in Hiroshima when we started the shooting, it is a great honor for me to be here. I made this film with the concern that after the atomic-bombing in Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the Cold War, such history might repeat itself again. Ever since I watched and cried over a movie about an atomic-bombing in my childhood, the thought that “How can humans do such a horrible thing to the same humankind never left my mind, and it has become the foundation of the film.” It was followed by questions and answers with the press.

Q. How did your image about Hiroshima and Nagasaki change from when you read the original novel to after the shooting?

Director: I had thought that I knew about the bombing and the prejudice as knowledge, but I was astonished to realize how hard it actually was by reading the novel. And I was deeply touched by visiting the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and listening to the stories of Hibakusha. It was truly a learning experience for me. Having many people see my film and they pass the message on to many more will become a significant power.

Q. What are your impressions of Japanese casts Masahiro MOTOKI and Kōki?

Director: Mr. Motoki is a warmhearted person who gave us various ideas and I think Kōki has the quality of becoming an international actor in the future.

Q. What is your thought on Nihon Hidankyo winning the Nobel Peace Prize?

Director: It is very good news. It did not happen by chance. It shows that more people started to take peace seriously.

Q. How did the audience in Iceland respond to the film?

Director: Even though the language was mostly in English and Japanese, it became a popular success. Some people said to me in tears, “Thank you” and “I’m deeply moved,” which was beyond our expectation.

“TOUCH” which was also a commercial success in Hollywood is scheduled to be screened from January 24th 2025 in Japan.