Two 28-year old female directors

　“Suzaku” directed by Naomi Kawase and “Silent Voice(Qu'un seul tienne et les autres suivront)” directed by Léa Fehner.

“Suzaku” won La Caméra d'or award in 1997 Cannes Film Festival. She was the youngest newcomer to win the award. “Silent Voice” was a 2009 film, and it was released in Japan at the end of 2012.

　Both of the films were the directors’ real debut work at age 28. I saw both of the films many times, but I compared the two again. While being tranquil, veteran, and finished products, I get burned by the passion of these works to cultivate the future of film.

　These are both deep pieces, but I will not go into details. I will only extract the difference and common points between the two films.

“Suzaku” is a quiet village in the back of Yoshino, Nara that is surrounded by blue mountains. While people smile softly, they are slow of speech. So, the harmonious sound of piano is clear. “Silent Voice” is waves of noise. Profanity, screaming, and violence.

　However, neither of them have any narration nor explanation; they are plays carried on only by dialogues. There is no unnecessary line. However, it does not mean that they try to make you understand by the video. On the contrary, they do not show, tease you, and leave it to the audience to figure it out. They are classy.

　The former is a story of a family slowly being broken. It is a heartbreaking, sad, and charming separation. On the other hand, the latter has three unrelated stories that start crossing at a prison. However, both of them have extremely skillful editing that connects those. The tasteful combination of time difference and spatial difference make you groan.

　

　And the castings. The former is mostly made up with novices. On the other hand, the latter is packed with professional actors. However, there is no pretty star face. Everyone has a face with tasteful quirk from North Africa, Eastern Europe, Germany, and France. Their acting is outstanding.

　The biggest common point is the fact that both of them were 28 years old female directors when they directed their real debut work, like I mentioned in the beginning. Ms. Kawase became the world’s Kawase after Cannes. I hope that Director Fehner will follow suit.

　So, these days, is there a possibility of becoming a film director in your 20s? It was possible in the past.

　John Ford and Leos Carax were 22, Yasujiro Ozu, Yuzo Kawashima, and Francis Ford Coppola were 24, Charlie Chaplin, François Truffaut, Louis Malle, Nagisa Oshima, and Steven Spielberg were 25, Alfred Hitchcock and Orson Welles were 26, and Jean-Luc Godard and Luis Buñuel were 28. Film directors used to debut young.

　Since then, especially in Japan, it is not that easy to become a film director at such a young age.

　What about now? You no longer have to knock on the door of the film studio, become an apprentice, gain experience, and climb up the ladder like you had to back in the day. Even an elementary school student can produce a film with a camera and a computer.

　Then, are there more opportunities extended to people in their teens and 20s? Or did the film industry become more competitive and the hurdle got higher?

　How can we birth the next Kawase and the next Fehner?