[Dispatch | Busan=Reporter Jeong Tae-yun] "Why do I make films?"

The film "Look Back" is a work that feels like director Koreeda Hirokazu asking himself this question. Throughout the filmmaking process, the director repeatedly contemplated this question in his mind while shooting.

Director Koreeda Hirokazu said, "Through the manga, I faced cinema anew. I expressed the shock I received at that time through film."

"Look Back" has arrived in Busan. It has been officially invited to the Gala Presentation section of the 31st Busan International Film Festival. On the 7th, a press conference was held at the Busan Cinema Center in Udong, Haeundae-gu, Busan, where discussions about the film took place.

The Gala Presentation is the flagship section of the Busan International Film Festival that introduces acclaimed works that draw worldwide attention. Director Koreeda Hirokazu is visiting Busan for the first time in three years since coming with "Monster" at the 28th film festival.

Nanase Furi (playing young Fujino), Deguchi Natsuki (playing Fujino), Makita Aju (playing Kyomoto), and Okada Roka (playing young Kyomoto) were in attendance. Park Ga-eon, Vice Executive Director, served as moderator.

Deguchi Natsuki said, "After last year, I was invited this year as well, and I'm happy that I could come together with the 'Look Back' team." Makita Aju shared, "It's my first time at Busan. Seeing many people at the opening ceremony yesterday was a valuable experience."

"Look Back" is the first live-action adaptation of manga by author Fujimoto Tatsuki. It depicts the journey of two girls who share the same dream of creating manga, fulfilling each other's shortcomings as they grow.

The film portrays jealousy and admiration for talent, the friendship left by time spent together, and sudden parting and loss through a matter-of-fact yet sensory perspective.

Director Koreeda Hirokazu handled directing, writing, and editing. It was submitted as an official competition work at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival and completed its North American premiere at the 51st Toronto International Film Festival.

Regarding his reasons for the live-action adaptation, Director Koreeda recalled, "The manga itself is a very popular work. It wasn't something made with film in mind; it was a manga I happened to discover and read at a bookstore."

He said, "I cannot forget the shock I felt when I picked up this manga at the bookstore and read it. I projected the manga's situation onto myself and received the question 'Why do I make films?'"

"The expression through manga and cinematic expression are different, but I always pondered in my mind the question of why people create something, why they engage in creative work, while making this film."

The film carries the distinctive analog color palette characteristic of Director Koreeda. For this work as well, a 35mm film camera was used to capture the beautiful four seasons and the growth of the two girls.

Director Koreeda explained, "The reason for shooting on film is that I can concentrate my consciousness on the present moment. It blocks off aspects that could be changed in post-production."

He emphasized, "While it may add tension for the actors, I believe that when this tension—what is only possible in this moment and place here—accumulates, a special magnetism is created on set."

Director Koreeda chose Nikaho, in Akita Prefecture, Japan, where original author Fujimoto Tatsuki grew up, as the filming location and conducted location shooting for one year. The actors spent time there like people who had lived in that town, and filmed.

Director Koreeda said, "Rather than directing in meticulous detail, I made the film with the thought of carefully capturing in the film the time of the four of them performing together, the four seasons flowing through the neighborhood, and the changes in light."

This film also presented a special challenge: the insertion of animation sequences. Regarding this, Director Koreeda said, "It's a scene where, entering Kyomoto's room, we see again the unfulfilled dreams of the two. The idea came to show that part in animation."

He continued, "I completed it with a feeling between animation and live-action. I wanted to capture a scene where the dream the two people couldn't fulfill comes true."

In the film, we see Fujino's back countless times. Her back absorbed in drawing. We capture the back that Kyomoto must have looked at countless times. The ending closes with Fujino's back, alone.

Deguchi Natsuki revealed, "There were quite a few scenes where emotion was conveyed only through the back. The director told me for the final scene, 'Make it so that you feel Kyomoto's heart in the back.'"

She added, "I was shooting with Kyomoto throughout in Akita, the filming location, and suddenly being alone was very lonely and melancholy. It felt like we were together but weren't, and I shot while feeling a sense of emptiness."

Meanwhile, "Look Back" will meet Busan audiences today at the outdoor theater of the Roof Cinema at the Busan Cinema Center. A Q&A session will take place after the film screening. On the 8th, it can be seen at theaters nationwide.

<Photos by Reporter Song Hyo-jin>