Tokyo: Hirokazu Koreeda Talks Filmmaking With ‘All We Imagine As Light’ Director Payal Kapadia

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As a passionate admirer of succinct yet profound storytelling, I find myself deeply moved by the tales you’ve described. They encapsulate the complexities of human existence within a few short paragraphs, much like a gemstone revealing its many facets when viewed from different angles. It’s a liberating experience to realize that one can indeed express so much with so little.

Hirokazu Koreeda openly shared that he’d been eager to engage in a thorough conversation with Indian filmmaker Payal Kapadia, following their first encounter when they screened her movie “All We Imagine as Light” at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. That long-awaited talk finally happened on Tuesday, during the TIFF Lounge discussion series, which took place at the luxurious Lexus Cafe, while Tokyo International Film Festival was ongoing.

In a surprising twist, Kiran Rao’s film “Laapataa Ladies” has been selected over Chaitanya Kumar Kapadia’s highly anticipated sophomore feature, “All We Imagine as Light,” for India’s entry to the 2025 Academy Awards in the Best International Film category. This decision, made by The Film Federation of India, has sparked controversy and backlash within the country. Notably, Kapadia’s film is Kapadia’s second full length feature after her 2021 debut, the documentary “A Night of Knowing Nothing,” which was a critical sensation internationally and the first Indian film to compete in Cannes’ main competition in three decades. The film ultimately won the French festival’s Grand Prix, the second most prestigious award. In recent weeks, “All We Imagine as Light” has been generating headlines once more due to its anticipated submission for the Academy Awards.

This year, Koreeda served on the main jury at Cannes, and during his opening discussion on Tuesday, he acknowledged that due to a binding non-disclosure agreement, he can’t disclose the judges’ private discussions or his own vote. However, he expressed excitement about meeting Kapadia and gaining insights into her creative process since Cannes. The following text presents an excerpt of the interaction between Koreeda and Kapadia, along with some audience questions and responses.

KOREED: How was Cannes for you?

Kapadia expressed that he wasn’t anticipating the film would be part of the competition. It’s a project he’s worked on for quite some time, and attending Cannes was an entirely new experience for him. Having the film in competition with such a renowned group of filmmakers, many of whom he admired during his film school days, was particularly gratifying. Despite feeling a bit anxious, having his entire team with him, including the actresses who traveled from India, made everything feel more comfortable and enjoyable.

KOREEDA: In your own words, could you tell us what All We Imagine as Light is about?

The movie revolves around two women originating from Kerala, currently residing and working in Mumbai. They share a living space, but their relationship isn’t exactly what one would call friendship; it seems more like a coincidental bond formed over time. One is Prabha, who’s close to 40, and the other is Anu, in her mid-twenties. The story explores each character navigating challenging romantic situations with people other than each other. Essentially, it’s a film about friendship and discovering your own chosen family. In India, families can be complex, offering both support and challenges at times. This movie delves into the family you create when you step away from your biological one.

KOREEDA: I thoroughly enjoyed your film when you showed it at Cannes. The predicament of the characters is quite intense, yet you narrate the story in a subtle, understated manner. In essence, you express empathy towards the characters, and this was particularly noticeable amidst the loud competition at Cannes. Your film possesses a remarkable ability to convey your message. Indeed, the voices and sounds of the characters are central to all three of your films.

KAPADIA: For me, film sound deeply impacts my physical response. It’s not necessary for the sounds to be loud in movies… I prefer creating an experience as if someone is whispering into your ear while sitting next to you gently, not too far away. This intimacy can be achieved even with long or wide shots in cinema, where voices can still feel intimate. It allows us to get close to the characters, even when we’re physically distant. Sometimes I like to keep a bit of distance from the characters myself, but with the voiceovers, I don’t feel that way; instead, I feel like I’m listening closely and feeling tenderly. I find this ability in cinema to create intimacy through voices, even at a distance, truly exciting. It’s one of the joys of filmmaking for me – having these creative options, and I appreciate it greatly.

KOREEDA: I feel like your films have a strong philosophy behind them, could you talk about that?

KAPADIA: I prefer creating films that aren’t grandiose, as I believe ordinary life contains its own drama and we don’t always need to search elsewhere. The kinds of narratives that appeal to me are those that can encapsulate complex themes in a simple manner. During our time at film school, we were introduced to short stories by Yasunari Kawabata, particularly “Palm-of-the-Hand Stories.” I found his writing style captivating, as it seemed straightforward and everyday but managed to encompass a wide range of topics such as history, dreams, reality, anxieties, and happiness. Reading these brief stories gave me a sense of freedom, realizing that one can discuss many things with minimal words. This approach to storytelling was initially challenging for my teacher to introduce, as these works were deceptively simple yet layered with complexity. The contrast between simplicity and depth is what makes them intriguing. Hopefully, this gives you an idea of how I think about things.

Audience Question: Your movie was highly expected to represent India at the Oscars this year. If it had been chosen, there was a strong possibility of a nomination. So, could you share your thoughts on why the film wasn’t selected for submission?

SPEAKER: I appreciate your inquiry. I believe this movie has achieved quite a bit already, and I’m extremely content with how its journey unfolded. To be honest, it surpassed all my expectations. So anything positive that comes its way now, feels like an added bonus for me.

Audience Member’s Question: In the movie, several languages were used, which left both me and the audience puzzled since we couldn’t distinguish between them due to our lack of proficiency in multiple languages. I recall hearing that when the film was screened, some languages were identified using color coding. Could you please tell us how many different languages were featured?

In India, we boast of over 20 distinct official languages, making it a vibrantly multilingual nation. The city of Mumbai is a melting pot where numerous tongues are spoken. This unique aspect of our culture lies in the fact that we don’t generally converse in each other’s language. Instead, we adapt to speaking various languages to foster mutual understanding. My personal experience in Mumbai led me to appreciate its multilingual essence and inspired me to articulate this quality through my film. I find beauty in our linguistic diversity, and the idea of unifying under a single language seems less appealing to me. Reflecting this diversity, the film features multiple languages such as Malayalam, Hindi, Marathi, with Gujarati voices heard at the beginning, much like the symphony of languages one would hear during a train ride in Mumbai.

I find languages fascinating, as they can significantly impact our sense of connection or isolation. For instance, moving to a large city where you don’t know the language can intensify feelings of detachment, making everyday conversations feel distant and alienating. This theme was also explored in the movie, where characters who couldn’t speak Hindi experienced a disconnect from their surroundings.

Moreover, I’m deeply fond of both urban landscapes and diverse languages. With many linguistically talented companions, we’re currently working on finding an improved method for subtitling our conversations. I’m in the process of solving this puzzle.

The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

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2024-10-30 02:55