In the space of two films, Ikunosuke Okazaki has emerged on the international scene with titles that show he has a flare for visuals and a canny way of drawing out the darkness of society in a light-hearted manner in ways that are sure to surprise viewers and keep them engaged in heavy subject matter.
His debut feature, Encouragement of Euthanasia (2022), featured a maladjusted lead protag head to Okinawa because he was desperate to die and for the whole thing to fall into a surreal and colourful farce. Okazaki’s sophomore feature, Wash Away, is equally adept at straddling dark and light as its character study/family drama of a soapland sex worker named Kana (Yuuka Nakao) reconnecting with her estranged grandmother, Kie (Naoko Ken), who has dementia, moves between a culture-clash comedy to a tale of rekindling kinship while also becoming a way to broach existential anxieties that affect large swathes of society. The differing lives of the characters are well illustrated by Okazaki through strong visual aesthetic where “pop” visuals, perfect for Kana’s materialistic lifestyle, meet the dour reality of Kie’s isolation and from this, Okazaki plays out his thesis that loneliness ails both women (and could be the cause of Kie’s increasing distance from the granddaughter she rarely sees).
The story is brilliantly constructed in such a way that it stands out from many films visually and it is clear in its messaging so that it has substance. You can read my review here.
Already an actor on stage and on screen, he has directed plays and YouTube series and now these films show Okazaki has confident control of cinematic language and something to say. To explain more about the making of this film, Okazaki kindly took part in an email interview where he explained the origins of the film and important social message, how he built in an appeal to younger viewers, his and his hopes that Wash Away will make viewers change their approach to interactions when it comes to the people in lives.
What inspired you to make this story?
“The ‘sukebe stool’ that is used in soaplands to wash the groin area was actually invented as a home care tool This anecdote was what inspired me to make this film.
In making a film about what appears to be two polar opposites-a soap girl and an elderly grandmother who requires nursing care. I decided to interview my own grandmother. She has dementia, so she has forgotten who I am. However, when I woke up on the day of the interview, it was 12:00 p.m. I had blown off our meeting session as if she didn’t exist. I had neglected my grandmother, who was supposed to be important to me.
Dementia is considered to be a disease that makes the inflicted with it forget about other people. Deep down somewhere, there was a part of me that thought this appointment with my grandmother wasn’t going to have much meaning since she has dementia. I know it sounds harsh, but that’s what I thought.
Then, I remembered a documentary I saw about dementia that showed someone saying, “We do not yet know the medical cause of dementia. However, I personally believe the cause is loneliness.” Thus, I made a connection between characters. Their loved ones only care for them when they’re in the same room, but forget about them when they are not around. A soap girl is similar. She is loved when a customer is there, but forgotten once they leave the room.
That’s what home care and soap girls have in common. Different industries, maybe, but the same inner conflicts and personal relationships.
What sort of research went into the creation of the scenario and what conversations around dementia and sex work did you have with cast and crew?
Regarding dementia, on one occasion on set I gave this direction to Naoko Ken.
In the first scene when Kie and Kana meet again, the grandmother does not remember her granddaughter. When Kana says, “It’s been a long time,” the grandmother’s expression of confusion didn’t quite work in the first take. I asked Naoko Ken, “Naoko-san, you are very famous as a TV personality. Have you ever been greeted by a TV crew, like, “Naoko-san, it’s been a long time!” but you can’t remember who they are? You can’t remember who everyone is, so you smile and say, “Oh, hello.” Have you ever had that experience?” After I told her that, the second take went well.
On sex work, I went to a café to interview a 26-year-old soapland worker for the script. She comically described the “ultimate service industry” that she has worked in for the past six years since she was 20 years old. She gradually began to talk about where the money she earns goes, and how she couldn’t get a cushion of a handsome character from an anime that she supports as an otaku, even though she spent 300,000 yen to get it in a lottery. I was flabbergasted by her sudden confession, but then I realized something. She must have become a “means to an end” type of person. What I realised is that what I should be asking her about is not the sales system or the details of her business, but rather a “perversion” that is rooted much deeper, one that even she is unaware of.
After our interview, at the ticket gate of JR Shinjuku Station on my way home, I promised her that I would make it a beautiful film. She smiled, waved her hand, and returned to the “bubble” of society.
How much of a challenge has it been to push against people’s expectations when it comes to the film’s subject matter?
The subject matter of this film is very dark and socially conscious. But it is something that everyone in the world needs to think about seriously. Because it was such a challenge, we tried to keep the visuals, posters, the way the images were presented, and the colour palette as Japanese Kawaii as possible. By doing so, the film caught the attention of many young women and students.
For the music, I worked with my cousin Taichiro Ei, who is in charge of music, to analyse the music trending on TikTok and used a lot of modern electronic sounds. (which, in a way, is not our taste.) The result is a piece that is easy for young women and students to enjoy and talk about.
You have extensive stage and screen experience yourself, having, for example, trained at The Actor’s Studio New York and directed plays. Naturally, you must have an eye for getting the right performances. What was it that drew you to Yuuka Nakao and Naoko Ken?
Yuuka Nakao has known me since my YouTube productions. She is an extremely talented actress and has the rare ability to take direction while in the role. Even during a play, when I give direction, she makes eye contact with me with tears in her eyes and follows my instructions.
Naoko Ken is a very famous TV personality in Japan. In making this film, I wanted to portray a dark theme in a light and pop way as much as possible, so her funny personality was perfect. It is very difficult to play a character with dementia. You can play smart characters (scholars, doctors, etc.) if you study hard enough. However, the role of a dementia patient requires forgetting things and becoming like a child. Therefore, there was a concern that if a well-known person with a strong image as an actress were to play the role, the audience would think she was a good actress and that would be the end of it. Therefore, I wanted Naoko Ken, who does not have the image of an actress, to play the role. She also appeared in Wim Wenders’ “Perfect Days” last year and gave a wonderful performance in “Wash Away.
How did you work with them to portray their characters and to work together in roles which have a lot of emotional fluctuations?
I practice thoroughly when I create a piece.
That’s because I used to be an as actor and when I studied method acting all over the world.
I have no experience as an assistant director and I did not graduate from film school.
I make films based solely on my commitment to theatricality.
Therefore, I enjoy watching an interesting play from a special seat in front of everyone else, rather than placing importance on visual beauty or respect for the history of cinema.
I shoot with the feeling that since a good play is being performed right in front of me, I should press the REC button while I’m at it.
For those reasons, we rehearse the play and do so carefully beforehand, so there are no problems.
Both Wash Away and Encouragement of Euthanasia, your debut feature, have some very dark subject matter but you present it in a fun, “pop” way. The snappy editing techniques and contrasting slow sequences you use and the bold choices of colour really impress and tell a tale of how each character’s life unfolds.
Can you talk a little about your approach to visual presentation with regards to storytelling? Do you go on set with storyboards? How do you get the rhythm in the editing process?
The storyboard is in my head from the time I write the script. Since I have an image of everything while I write, it’s just a matter of bringing it to life.
In the editing process, I used a very fast tempo in order to create a strong youth-oriented taste in the film.
The transitions are also made in an un-cinematic way, cheesy and flashy, so as not to bore the audience as much as possible.
What would you like audiences to watch out for in the film and what would you like them to take away from it?
When I held the first screening of this film in Okinawa, I was worried about how it would be received. I was waiting in the lobby after the screening, nervous about whether the audience would enjoy this film, which has a slightly different theme compared to other films. As everyone came out, I saw that everyone, from the elderly to children, had tears in their eyes. Then a young woman said, “I was thinking of going to see my grandmother.” An elderly man said, “I will come see this film with my grandchildren when it opens to the public.” A middle-aged man was deeply moved, saying, “I am also a caregiver for my mother, so it was something that hit home for me.” I was a little surprised that this work was received as a “family story” more than I had expected.
Like my experience in Okinawa, I hope that this film will lead to someone changing their actions, such as going to see grandparents or contacting grandchildren on the way home from the movie theatre where they saw this film.
Wash Away is your second feature film. What was your most memorable experience and what challenge have you set yourself next as a filmmaker?
I would like to continue to make films that are entertaining and can be enjoyed by all audiences like Hollywood and Disney films, while at the same time, I would like to make films that have a philosophy in the story and leave an imprint on people’s hearts after they have seen it.
We will make films that both children and adults can enjoy while eating popcorn and thinking about difficult issues together.
I would like to make Japanese films into contents that are as good as American and Korean films.
Wash Away had its World Premiere at Osaka Asian Film Festival 2024. You can read my review here.