I¡¯ve interviewed the director Hirokazu Koreeda several times over the years since we first met at a preview screening of his otherworldly drama ¡°After Life¡± (¡°Wonderful Life,¡± 1999). Then and now his answers to even often-asked questions are always thoughtful and considered.
Yes, he is publicizing his film of the moment, but he¡¯s also interested in having a dialogue, not just regurgitating talking points. That puts more pressure on the interviewer to come in with more than a question list.
When I met him last month at the office of his distributor, Gaga, the subject was his new film ¡°After the Storm¡± (¡°Umi Yorimo Mada Fukaku¡°), a selection for the Un Certain Regard section of this year¡¯s Cannes Film Festival. Similar to his universally acclaimed 2008 film ¡°Still Walking¡± (¡°Aruitemo Aruitemo¡°), ¡°After the Storm¡± is about a troubled family, with Koreeda favorites Kirin Kiki and Hiroshi Abe again playing mother and son, respectively.
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