Hirokazu Koreeda's Next Vision: Taiwanese-features Filmmaking

Hirokazu Koreeda poses with his trophy after winning the Best Director with 'Broker' at the 16th Asian Film Awards (Photo: Billy H.C. Kwok)

Enraptured by his filmmaking experiences in France (The Truth) and Korea (Broker), Hirokazu Koreeda is interested in making a movie in Taiwan by engaging its features, particularly Taiwanese actors.

Through the 16th Asian Film Awards winners interview, Koreeda revealed this vision, which is tightly related to his passion for delivering a message over a get-beyond culture and language movie. "This award (the Best Director) is an encouragement to continue making films that transcend cultures and languages, just like this internationally co-produced film (Broker), so I'd like to do my best from here on," he said.

Concerning the reason he is enamored with this country in East Asia, he stated that it is solely because his father was born there. He also mentioned several eminent Taiwanese actors he would like to work with, including Tony Leung (Where the Wind Blows), Gwei Lun Mei (A Leg), and Zhou Dongyu (Ancient Love Poetry).

Koreeda attended the 16th Asian Film Awards held at the Hong Kong Palace Museum on March 12, 2023, and won Best Director with Broker (2022). This marks his second win in this category at the Asian Film Awards, where he previously prevailed with Still Walking (2008).

Koreeda expressed his surprise at winning this time, considering he did not think up a speech beforehand. Instead of the award, he uttered that his primary purpose for attending this annual award ceremony was to participate in the Asian movie industry confluence, which was seen as the industry resurgence after the Covid-19 pandemic.

This seasoned Japanese director currently prepares for the release of his forthcoming movie, Monster, which is now in post-production. He said there is not plan to direct a movie overseas again, but he is looking forward to the right time to do so in Taiwan.