Short film “urar suye” set in Hokkaido’s Lake Akan Ainu Kotan to experience the modern Ainu worldview released
Loftwork Press release: November 13, 2024 Release of “urar suye,” a short film set in the Ainu Kotan of Lake Akan, Hokkaido, that allows you to experience the modern Ainu worldview. “Run through the sea. Directed by Masashi Togawa of “”, starring musician Xiangyu. The story depicts a journey to rediscover one’s true self through interaction with the Ainu.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/4703/138/4703-138-25e40729550c974430ac6594950f32af-1400×787.jpg
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/4703/138/4703-138-550338452b681a4c54692cafe29cfad1-1000×1450.jpg Poster design: ddd.pizza Story Yukari (xiangyu), who is active as a musician in Tokyo, is worried because she cannot believe in her future as an artist. Meanwhile, Yukari is invited by her university classmate Saya, a dancer, to visit Lake Akan Ainu Kotan (“Kotan” is “village” in the Ainu language) in Kushiro. Ainu Kotan is also known as the “City of Creators,” and the traditional wood carvings, embroidery, songs, and dances that have been passed down through the generations are still alive and well in the lives of the people. Furthermore, in the Ainu worldview, it was believed that “Kamuy” resided in natural objects such as mountains, rivers, animals, and trees, natural phenomena such as fire and lightning, and tools.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/4703/138/4703-138-5f03b2dd158bed2b882998750d2bd01d-1300×731.jpg While touring the Ainu kotan, Yukari experiences the daily activities of the people and the existence of the kamuy, reconsidering the connection between herself and the world.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/4703/138/4703-138-61b1cdb8d911a8fd0ddfeda91757375f-1300×731.jpg Highlights of the movie This work depicts Yukari coming into contact with Ainu culture through her interactions with the people living in the Ainu Kotan of Lake Akan, and gaining a sense of a part of their worldview, which gives her the opportunity to live her own life. Encounter with “Upopo”, which has been sung for generations: Yukari listens to Upopo, a traditional Ainu song, for the first time. Little by little, my heart begins to move as I hear Upopo’s singing voice, born out of respect and connection to nature. “Urar suye”, which is sung in the film, is also used as the title of the film. The presence of kamui felt in the nature of Akan: Yukari visits the forest by Lake Akan and learns what the people believe in, “Kamuy.” Every time you walk, as if confirming the existence of spirits and kamui that reside in mountains, lakes, creatures, and tools, your five senses will be sharpened and you will feel a connection with the world.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/4703/138/4703-138-729735c8518c50be42ec7941f3adf5ce-1000×563.jpg
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/4703/138/4703-138-6487e4b6c05058478ef25c8aa5bd0af9-1000×563.jpg
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/4703/138/4703-138-69742afa947a17f0abb5ce2ba5f23b75-1000×563.jpg
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/4703/138/4703-138-2ac365928d2ec70caf1453e487c295d3-1000×563.jpg
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/4703/138/4703-138-45044b827ed89d31b60b76e406424c40-1000×563.jpg
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/4703/138/4703-138-986ec61be87125e5e570bf32714835d5-1000×563.jpg Message from the director and cast Director Masashi Togawa
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/4703/138/4703-138-7f1326da21e4eb1821b38421352de439-500×500.png Traveling is full of unexpected encounters. Looking back, creating the scenario for this story was like a journey. To make the film, I stayed at Lake Akan Ainu Kotan, where I met many people and talked to them about their stories. About the Ainu, about nature, about Kamui (God). And about the lives of the people who live there. This story was composed based on interviews with Ainu people I met locally. Therefore, the scenario that I had originally thought of turned into something I had never imagined. The Ainu song “urar suye,” which is the title of the film, is also called “Mist Song,” and I was told this by an Ainu person during the interview. The lyrics are meant to reassure the spirit of the bear cub by saying, “We’ll clear the fog, cross the ocean, and move on.” “I don’t know where to go.” For young people who are worried about their future, the future in front of them is shrouded in fog. While depicting such a worrisome mental landscape, I hope that this film will be able to help people who are experiencing the same anxiety, so I chose the title of the film to include a message along with an Ainu song. In this fluid and unanswerable world, I hope this film will take viewers on a journey, giving them an opportunity to stop and think about the question, “What is truly important to me?” That’s what I think. Profile: Born in Tokushima Prefecture. I fell in love with theater at university. After graduating, he became interested in film production and learned filmmaking by working as an assistant director under various directors, including director Koji Fukada. At the same time, he is actively directing independent films. “If you run through it, you’ll see the sea. (2023)” was nominated and won awards at 22 film festivals in Japan and abroad. The film was selected as one of MIRRORLIAR FILMS season 5 and will be released in theaters on 15 screens across Japan. Starring: Xiangyu
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/4703/138/4703-138-55ff460b06d2c9e18c531495e8fcda20-500×500.jpg Ainu culture is something I have always wanted to learn about. I had a hard time finding time to study, and just then I was approached about this film. Although it was a short period of just under a week, I felt a sense of cleansing as I interacted with the Ainu people there and experienced the local atmosphere. Yukari, the main character of this movie, is not me, but she is like my alter ego. I myself have had many conflicts in my career as an expressive musician, so I was painfully aware of Yukari’s feelings in the movie, and just because I
understood, I didn’t want to understand, and I have fond memories of being in constant pain during filming. I felt that the land of Akan, which gently embraced my painful heart, had a unique atmosphere that you could only understand if you went there. When I mustered up the courage to entrust my stiff body to her, it mysteriously loosened up, and I found it much easier to breathe. This was my first time working with director Togawa, and I learned a lot from being able to share our thoughts with each other about a scene, even if it took a while. I received a lot of advice from Mr. Debo, who was with me in many scenes, and it was a time I was grateful for because I learned a lot as a person. Living in Tokyo, I am so busy with things every day that I often lose track of what kind of life I wanted to live. In such a case, why not go to Lake Akan? I would be happy if this work served as an opportunity for that. Profile: Live activities started in September 2018. Japanese female solo artist. The reading is Shanyu. The name is derived from his real name. On November 1, 2023, with gimgigam as sound producer and Amapiano, Gqom, etc., the concept EP “OTO-SHIMONO” was released, which is based on “lost items” found in the town. The latest songs released this year, “Lasichi no Pizza,” “Zutto Iru Tomato,” and “Hatcha KO,” showcase a new sound that incorporates breakbeats, Baltimore breaks, baile funki, and amapiano. Starring Debo Akibe
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/4703/138/4703-138-65ca78b021f018f171e51adafca04b90-500×500.jpg Surrounded by Akan’s forests, lakes, and rivers, breathe in the air with the highest oxygen concentration in Japan! Before you know it, you can feel the aroma of wood, water, and light seeping into your body from inside and out! I feel small! That makes me so happy! My cells are refreshed with a sense of fulfillment, not helplessness, and what has become ingrained in me will jump out from the top of my head to the soles of my feet in an attempt to become one with the natural world of Akan! I can see that they are connected! Nerve cells naturally intermingle in a huge way that exceeds the size of a single person! She came from the city and easily jumped over the camera! The natural world, which does not listen to human convenience, has given her something greater than human convenience! I think that people are also a part of the natural world, and the moment when they become whole is captured in the video! Nature is harsh and kind! Humans and nature cannot be separated! There are things you don’t know when you come! Profile: Born in Lake Akan, after graduating from high school, he learned wood carving from his father, and four years later opened his own shop, “Nukanno,” at the back entrance of the shop his father had run. After that, he took over the shop and runs it as the current “Debo no Shop”, while also working as an actor and producing Ainu dance. Production background The short film “urar suye” was produced as part of Kushiro City’s 2020 Ainu culture-related tourism promotion project. This work focuses not only on Ainu arts and crafts, but also on the charm of “living Ainu culture,” which includes daily life and the surrounding environment. We also aim to widely convey the potential of the unique Ainu worldview to alleviate the challenges faced by modern city dwellers and empower them. About Lake Akan Ainu Kotan
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/4703/138/4703-138-ecd599131f4b78526b84d4a1aafe6d6c-790×527.jpg The Akanko Ainu Kotan, which is the setting for this work, is one of the largest kotans in Hokkaido and is home to about 120 people. Based on the Ainu belief that “everything has a soul,” we have promoted Ainu culture as a place where you can experience touching, creating, eating, inheriting, releasing, and living with nature. This is a place where you can experience the culture and history of the Ainu, who coexisted with the magnificent nature of Hokkaido and built a rich and mysterious spiritual world. Lake Akan Ainu Kotan Website
https://www.akanainu.jp/ Related events A special screening of “urar suye” will be held at the opening event of “Akan Ainu Art Week 2024”
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/4703/138/4703-138-261ca75be195e6bd3160f4ddc35b510e-1000×573.jpg The opening event of “Akan Ainu Art Week 2024” to be held at Lake Akan Ainu Kotan, which was the setting for the short film “urar suye”, will be held on November 23, 2024 at the Ainu Cultural Tradition and Creation Center “Onnechise”. . A screening of this film will be held as part of the program. Please see the website for details on Akan Ainu Art Week. Akan Ainu Art Week Website
https://akan-ainu-artweek.jp/ *If there are a large number of visitors, admission may be restricted. Production team
Screenplay/editing/direction: Masashi Togawa Starring: xiangyu Koharu Hiyori Akibe Debo Floor Midori Eiko Yamamoto Fukiko Goukon Katsuoya Erika Producer: Yoshiyuki Date / Loftwork Co., Ltd. Co-producer: Mengci Xu / Loftwork Co., Ltd. Director of Photography: Sora Nishioka Photography assistant: Keita Onishi Recording/Sound adjustment: Takuya Kubo Music: Ryo Takahashi Hair and makeup: Hanaha Kawamoto Production support: Sora Kamide Poster design: ddd.pizza Production: Kushiro City Supervision: Akan Ainu Crafts Cooperative Association Planning and production: Loftwork Co., Ltd. Cooperation: Akan Nature Center Ltd. Akanko Bus Center Co., Ltd. Akan Kanko Kisen Co., Ltd. Lake Akan Ainu Theater Ikoㇿ Prism Co., Ltd. Maeda Ippoen Foundation General Incorporated Foundation Folk art cafe Poronno Hapo’s shop Akan-Mashu National Park Lake Akan Management Office (Ministry of the
Environment) Dear Ainu Kotan people of Lake Akan This project is being commissioned by Kushiro City using the Ainu Policy Promotion Grant (Cabinet Office).