The Japan premiere screening of “TOUCH” and the talk-show were held on November 23 (Sat) from 13:15 p.m. at NTT CRED Hall No. 1. After the screening, director Baltasar KORMÁKUR took the stage to talk about his thoughts on the film and episodes from the shooting. The interviewer was Kimura MICHITA, a freelance personality. The interpreter was Pauline BALDWIN.

The film is an adaptation of the 2020 Icelandic bestseller “Snerting” by Olaf OLAFSSON, directed by Baltasar KORMÁKUR, an Icelandic director active in Hollywood. The story begins with the main character, Kristopher, embarking on a journey to find the love of his life, Miko, whom he met 50 years before in London when they were students.

Kristopher’s former lover, Miko, is played by Kōki, while Miko’s father, Takahashi, an atomic bomb survivor, is portrayed by Masahiro MOTOKI. Regarding the casting of these two roles, Director KORMÁKUR praised the actors, saying, “Takahashi embodies the spirit of an old-fashioned artisan, possessing a strong yet gentle nature. The beautiful and encompassing relationship between Kristopher and these two characters could only be brought to life by Mr. MOTOKI.”

As for Kōki, who played the role of Miko, Director KORMÁKUR said, “It was difficult to find the right person for the role, but I was finally able to find someone who perfectly fit the role. She was modest, polite, and perfect,” he said. “During the filming in Iceland, a Japanese tourist was very excited to see Kōki and her mother (Shizuka KUDO), and I was surprised when I finally found out about her background,” he added. The young Kristopher was played by Pálmi KORMÁKUR, the second son of Director KORMÁKUR. He had no acting experience or interest in acting, but the staff decided to use him because they could not find anyone good at the audition.

The film was also shot in Hiroshima, Kure, and Takehara. The owner of the facility where the director was staying during the filming was a second-generation A-bomb survivor, and he was very kind to share his family's story and lend him his belongings. Through these encounters, he learned about Japanese culture and wanted to portray a realistic and non-exaggerated version of Japan in this film. When asked about the effects of the atomic bombing and prejudice depicted in the film, the director said, “I think the atomic bombing is the greatest crime against humanity. I feel that the younger generation is losing interest in the atomic bombing, but I hope that this film will start the conversation once again.”
In closing, he said, “I am very happy that you all saw this film today. It was a very touching moment for me. Thank you very much.” He left the venue with a big round of applause. The film “TOUCH” is scheduled to open in theaters nationwide on January 24, 2025.