©Courtesy of Japan Cuts
The title of the most “kawaii” film from this year’s Japan Cuts undoubtedly goes to director Tetsuya Chihara‘s debut feature, Ice Cream Fever. This innovative film intricately depicts the intersecting longings, affections, and obsessions of four women living in Tokyo. The project showcases Chihara’s keen artistic vision of finding beauty in everyday life.
Cinema Daily U.S. had the opportunity to speak with Chihara during his brief stay in New York for the film’s North American premiere at Japan Cuts.
©Courtesy of Japan Cuts
Q: You originally worked as an art director. What inspired you to pursue filmmaking?
Tetsuya Chihara : I’ve liked movies since I was in junior high school and wanted to work in the film industry. I discovered a graphic designer named Saul Bass, who created opening sequences for Scorsese’s films. When I was in junior high, I was captivated by the opening sequences of movies like Cape Fear, Goodfellas, and Casino. As I delved into it, I found out that Saul Bass was behind those works. I also learned that he worked on early projects like West Side Story and Psycho, which gradually shifted my desire from wanting to make movies to wanting to be involved in graphic design within films. As I worked on movie posters and other related projects, my interest in filmmaking grew.
Q: Did you realize that film was a more suitable medium for expressing what you wanted to convey?
Tetsuya Chihara : Yes, exactly. Working in graphic design always felt like a supporting role. Creating a movie poster, for example, only happens because there’s a movie behind it. Designing a CD jacket depends on the existence of the artist, and advertising relies on having a product to sell. I felt like I wasn’t actually creating the work itself. Once I reached a point where I could do what I wanted in graphic design, I thought about what to do next. That’s when I remembered my childhood dream of making films, around 2019.
Q: That’s wonderful. Were there any specific points you focused on during the making of this film?
Tetsuya Chihara : Among the many great film directors out there, I felt that design is where I could really showcase my individuality. So, I put a lot of effort and focus into that aspect of the film.
Q: This film is based on a novel. What inspired you to adapt an existing work for your first directorial project instead of creating an original screenplay?
Tetsuya Chihara : I’ve worked with Mieko Kawakami, the author of the original short story, for a long time. I helped design the covers for her books and collaborated with her on advertising projects, where she was the copywriter, and I handled the design. Since then, I had always told her that if I ever made a film, I would like her to be involved. So, when I decided to make this film, I called her the same day. We met and discussed ideas, such as how there’s drama in the seemingly uneventful everyday moments and the idea of creating a work featuring women with strong self-identities in this male-dominated society. During these discussions, Kawakami suggested that her work Ice Cream Fever might fit the vision we were discussing.
©Courtesy of Japan Cuts
Q: I see. You already had a good partnership with author Kawakami, but adapting a novel into a film must have its own unique challenges. Were there any difficulties you encountered?
Tetsuya Chihara :In terms of adapting a novel into a film, I didn’t face too many difficulties. Kawakami allowed me the freedom to do as I wished, so I had the liberty to incorporate new ideas rather than just faithfully reproducing the original work. However, the challenge lay in adapting the female characters created by Kawakami, who establish their identities within their everyday lives, and turning that into an engaging story.
The difficulty was ensuring that the story did not end up being dominated by male perspectives. For instance, Disney’s Snow White and Cinderella ultimately end with the arrival of a prince to resolve the story. In Japanese, there’s the term “女子力” (women’s power), but it often reflects male perspectives and standards of what makes a good woman, rather than women’s power from their own viewpoint. Collecting insights from today’s male-centric society while creating a genuinely feminine work was a significant challenge. Both Kawakami and I considered this our main goal, but it was indeed difficult to achieve.
Q: Indeed. When the romantic partner is male, even if the protagonist is female, the focus often shifts to him, making it a challenge to create a genuinely feminine story. It’s an eternal theme. In this film, the main focus was on a romance between women.
Tetsuya Chihara : Kawakami suggested that making the romance between women could make the story more multidimensional and interesting. I feel that this idea really helped the story expand and develop.
Q: I haven’t read the original novel yet. Is the romance between women in the novel as well?
Tetsuya Chihara : In the original novel, the romance is between a boy and a girl. The role played by Motora Serena in the film is actually a male character in the novel. Fans of the original might be surprised by this change, but it was a decision made by Kawakami, so I hope they can understand and accept it.
Q: So this work is a result of combining both your and Kawakami’s ideas. It seems that the collaboration was built on mutual trust.
Tetsuya Chihara : Yes, we’ve known each other for about 15 years, and it was because we understood each other’s personalities that this collaboration was possible. Kawakami has been offered many opportunities for live-action adaptations in the past but has turned them all down. She had a strong desire to avoid adaptations unless the vision and intentions behind her work were truly understood. This collaboration was only possible.
©Courtesy of Japan Cuts
Q: Once filming began, directing on set as a film director must be quite different from working with actors in advertising. Were there any surprising or challenging aspects of directing for the first time that you found interesting or difficult?
Tetsuya Chihara : Interestingly, I discovered that there were aspects that were quite similar to what I did in art direction. In design and advertising, there are no lines, so I was initially worried about whether I would be able to handle a new element of film directing. However, I was advised by director Mika Ninagawa that the most important thing for a director on set is to be yourself. She told me that if I can be yourself on set, it will become a good environment just by being true to who I am. Her words really helped me feel more at ease. I was able to carry on with communication and work in a way that was similar to how I worked in advertising, and I found that I could manage the set without changing my usual approach.
Q: So, is your usual directing style one where you give detailed instructions, or do you prefer to leave things up to the actors?
Tetsuya Chihara : I usually don’t give many detailed instructions. In fact, I often just sit on the sofa during the shoot. The work of an art director involves a lot of preparation before the actual shooting, which is much more challenging. On the day of the shoot, I believe the best situation is when I don’t have to do anything at all. I think it’s important not to get flustered on set, as it can create a negative atmosphere. For this film shoot as well, the set was harmonious and remained consistent with how it usually is.
Q: There were many actors in this film. Did you leave it up to them to interpret and perform their characters, rather than giving detailed instructions?
Tetsuya Chihara : Yes, that’s right. I cast actors in a way that allowed them to be natural in their roles. I didn’t ask them to play characters completely different from their own nature. I left it to the actors to interpret their characters and let them tell me how they planned to perform.
Q: So, did this project serve as an opportunity for you to find your directing style?
A: Yes, I think I learned about my strengths and weaknesses through this experience on set. I’m actually working on my second film now. Although I can’t reveal any details yet, I’m using a similar production team as for the first film. The next project is shaping up to be a story about a man and a woman, and I’m gradually progressing with the script.
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Here’s the trailer of the film.