Kento Yamazaki, a Japanese actor, became the first recipient of the ‘The Best From the East Award’ at the New York Asian Film Festival 2024 at Lincoln Center in New York City. He spoke about his delight in receiving the award.
The festival, which is currently 23rd year, took place at Lincoln Center in New York City from July 12 to 22, and from July 23 to 28 at SVA Theater in New York City, Look Cinema W57, and Korean Cultural Center New York. The festival showcased 90 films, both new and classic, from China, Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Mongolia, and other countries. Nine films had their world premieres, 12 had their international premieres, and 38 had their North American premieres.
“My Name is Kento Yamazaki, It’s a great honor to be here today,” said Yamazaki, greeting his audience in English. He continued, “I would like to speak in Japanese from here on,” drawing laughter from the audience.
“I am very happy to receive this award,” Yamazaki added. The work “Kingdom” is one of the most important works for me. I am 29 years old, but I have lived most of my seven years in my twenties with this work “Kingdom” and the role of Shin, as if it were another life. I am very grateful to all the people who have supported me, and I would not have been able to receive this award alone, nor would I have been able to make “Kingdom” as great as it is today. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who love “Kingdom” and have supported me in this endeavor. Thank you very much!”
He continued, “I would like to accept this award on behalf of the “Kingdom” team, because I truly believe that we were able to receive this award because we created it with the best staff, cast, and everyone in Japan.” He held up the trophy and said with a big smile, “It’s so heavy!”
Finally, he said, “Today, I am very happy to be able to show the movie on the big screen for the first time to the people of New York. He hoped that this would be a chance for “Kingdom” to expand beyond Japan and the seas, and that everyone would appreciate it.
The following questions and answers come from joint interviews conducted with Japanese media in New York as well as one-on-one interviews through my Japanese outlet Eiga.com in Japan. Yamazaki was asked to share his long-held feelings about the series as well as the final chapter, “Kingdom: Return of the Great General.”
From the left, Samuel Jamier, Director of New York Asian film Festival, Actor Kento Yamazaki, Producer Shinzo Matsuhashi
Q : What was it like when your fans in New York congratulated you after ‘The Best from the East Award’ ceremony?
Kento Yamazaki: People in New York were very excited and I was very happy to see them. I was very happy to see how welcoming they were.
Q: How did you feel when you were first asked about this award from the New York Asian Film Festival?
Kento Yamazaki: To be honest, I thought it was a fantastic film festival. I was impressed by the fact that a film festival like this was held in New York to encourage Asian films, and I was delighted to receive the award, which was the first time this film festival has given such a prize to a Japanese talent. I considered “Kingdom” to be an important film for me, and I was thrilled to receive the award for it. I was also very happy to be here with Mr. Shinzo Matsuhashi, the producer of the “Kingdom” series.
Q : Now that you have won an international award, I am certain that you are experiencing many emotions now that you are here in New York. Given these circumstances, what message do you want to convey to the people of the world through this film?
Kento Yamazaki: I wanted to create an exceptional film when I created
“Kingdom.” It is a film that I am proud to present to the world, and I am delighted that it has reached New York. The success of “Kingdom” crossing the ocean and being seen by the people of New York gives me great happiness and pride. I also hope that this will be a chance for Japanese films to be seen by more and more people around the world and spread.
Q: What do you think of the New York Asian Film Festival and what is the atmosphere like today?
Kento Yamazaki: I was delighted to witness that the people of New York were cheerful, accepting, and impressed. I am thrilled that I was able to experience this place with “Kingdom,” a film that is of utmost importance to me.
Q: Yasuhisa Hara’s original work has already sold over 100 million copies and is still going strong. What do you think was at the core of the original work that made it a hit?
Kento Ysmazaki: The story is intriguing, but it also evokes a sense of human depth and a sense of passion when you read the manga. As I continue to read the manga, I am encountering more and more characters, and the connections between them and the emotions they share are becoming increasingly intriguing.
In my opinion, the manga’s main point is that it portrays numerous emotional aspects that are relatable to people of all ages and nationalities.
From the left, Samuel Jamier, Director of New York Asian film Festival, Actor Kento Yamazaki
Q: I acknowledge that “Kingdom: Return of the Great General” is your final chapter of this series and that you have traveled abroad to film it, Through this series, did you have any desire to participate in overseas productions in the future?
Kento Ysmazaki: I have traveled abroad multiple times and it is a pleasure to communicate with people not only from Japan but also from other countries. The diversity of cultures, thinking, and moviemaking means that I have the opportunity to learn more English and try out new and intriguing things while communicating with others.
Q: In “Kingdom: The Return of the Great General”, we see Ohki, the great general, in action, and we also see Shin begin following in his footsteps to become a great general. What was it about the character of Ohki that left a particularly strong impression on you?
Kento Yamazaki: The character of General Ohki, played by Takao Osawa, is an overwhelmingly powerful character, and his performance is a testament to all that he has accumulated and the experience he has gained. He was incredibly inspiring to me and I thought that he was amazing beyond words. This time, I was really inspired by your expression of General Ohki played by Takao Osawa, both as a human being and as an actor.
Q: I have read the original manga and there are so many hot scenes. It’s a tough decision to pick a favorite scene, but if there’s one that’s particularly memorable, please share it with us.
Kento Yamazaki: The battle between General Ohki and Houken is a major highlight of the movie, and it has never been portrayed in Japanese movies or other movies until now.
Q: The “Kingdom” series has a scale comparable to that of a Hollywood blockbuster, but what is required for Japanese films to compete in the world today?
(Kento Yamazaki asks producer Shinzo Matsuhashi, who was sitting in the back of the room during this interview): “Which part of the world can he compete with?” (Producer Matsuhashi swiftly joins him to answer the question).
Shinzo Matsuhashi: First of all, the production cost is unbelievable for a Japanese film, and as the times change rapidly, Japanese films are no longer categorized in the same way that they used to be viewed in Japan, The emergence of numerous streaming services has made it possible to watch movies from all over the world alongside Japanese films. To attract people to Japanese movies, it is necessary to have a production cost that is not in line with the traditional Japanese standard.
First of all, in creating “Kingdom,” that was the first place we were most concerned about. At the very beginning, there was the starting point of whether we could really do it or not, whether we could produce it or not. My goal with the “Kingdom” series was to show the world that if we could secure the same production costs, staff, and cast in Japan, we could generate entertainment that would be accepted worldwide.
Kento Yamazaki: In my opinion, this is true and I also believe that the current situation is just a result of a lack of money and budget. I believe that Japanese films have consistently been superior, and everyone has been working at a high level, which makes me feel confident when I work.
From the left, Producer Shinzo Matsuhashi, Actor Kento Yamazaki
Q: How long did you spend filming it?
Shinzo Matsuhashi: We shot three films together, and it took us a year and a half to shoot them. In terms of Japanese film production, that is an unprecedented period of time.
Q: This is the final chapter of the series. After being involved in this series for so long in your 20s, do you feel like there is still more to do or do you feel like you have done everything you can?
Kento Yamazaki: One thing is that with this “Kingdom: Return of the Great General,” we all came here with our sights set on this place, and I feel that we’ve done it once and for all, but the manga is still going on, and as Shin, I still have a lot of motivation left in me. (Laughter)
Q: How about you, producer Matsuhashi?
Shinzo Matsuhashi: We always have the desire to make a sequel. As I mentioned earlier, we’re producing the film with a staggering budget, so we can only make a sequel if it’s an incredible hit, which means we’re always repeating that. Our goal is to have high expectations, achieve significant success (at the box office), and combine those elements. Currently, we are striving to overcome a very steep obstacle, and we are doing our utmost to achieve success.
There are still many obstacles to overcome. We have a significant number of amazing actors in the show, which requires us to manage their schedules. The incredible budget will be even more unbelievable next time, making us work from multiple angles.
Q: Takao Osawa gained a considerable amount of weight for the role of Ohki. What was something in your daily life that you had to take care of while playing the role of Shin in this film?
Kento Yamazaki: I thought that I needed to train like Shin, so I practiced a lot of action moves for over half a year, while also trying to keep Nobu’s straightness and his spirit of constantly looking forward and moving forward with a strong will. As my character Shin is the leader of the Hishintai (flying squad), I always kept this in mind, both as the leader of the flying squad and as the leading actor of the movie. I always wanted to lead the movie by giving my best effort.
Q: The story of “Kingdom” revolves around the emotions that people share. It includes not only the Hishintai, but also the hearts of the generals with whom he fought and matured. Please describe the type of actor you want to be, while still receiving the same level of support.
Kento Yamazaki: I believe”’Kingdom” is beloved by many people and has touched their hearts. I would like to be the kind of actor whose works and roles can move people’s hearts and give them strength for tomorrow.
Q: The “Kingdom” series is attractive not only for the men but also for the women, such as Karyoten played by Kanna Hashimoto, Youtanwa played by Masami Nagasawa, and Kyokai played by Nana Seino. What can you relate to?
Kento Yamazaki: Well, I think that the women depicted in “Kingdom” are all living their lives hiding the fact that they are women, so they all have their own truths and are portrayed as strong women, but we live in such an era now, and I also think that women are stronger than men.
I think they are attractive because they act as human beings who live their lives without regard to whether they are men or women, and because they are considerate of this fact. I think that Masami Nagasawa, Kanna Hashimoto, and Nana Seino are all lovely people in general, and their charm comes out in their everyday lives.
Q: These individuals, like Yu Shimomura and Taku Sakaguchi, are able to take genuine action in the film’s action scenes. What kind of action did they train for on a daily basis and how did they want to shoot?
Kento Yamazaki: We practiced a lot of basics, from the basic training of swinging a sword to reacting to and avoiding each swing. I also practiced how to move my feet and how to punch and kick with my bare hands, I mastered how to jump and move like a wild man such as Shin, and I practiced the fundamentals and many details individually to be able to use them quickly and efficiently on the spot.
Q: The relationship between Ohki (played by Takao Osawa) and Shin (played by Yamazaki) is very tense at the beginning, but I think it gradually changes over the course of the series. I think that relationship of those characters is similar to your relationship Osawa in real life.
Kento Yamazaki: It is exactly the same. It’s not that they are similar, but they really are the same. In the first place, there are many similarities between my position and Shin’s in the movie-making process, as well as in the role and the relationship with the other actors, I met Mr. Osawa, a senior actor, in the first part of the “Kingdom” series and was extremely impressed with him as General Wang Ki. Although I was nervous, I gradually became comfortable talking to him and felt like we were becoming closer. So there were a lot of similarities.
Q: Finally this will be the last question. Through this “Kingdom” series, how do you think this series has helped you grow as an actor?
Kento Yamazaki: Well, well… I think it really made me a bigger man. I became bigger as a man. (laughs)
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Video footage of Kento Yamazaki received the “The Best From the East Award‘ at the New York Asian Film Festival 2024, shot by Cinema Daily US.