Introduction:
“AOSHO! Voices in Bloom” is a Japanese coming-of-age drama set on a remote island. It follows Shippei, a high school student who moves there from Tokyo and slowly begins to open his heart after meeting new classmates and taking part in a choral exchange with a mainland school. It is a story of friendship, first love, conflict, and how singing can bring people closer when words are not enough.
Inspiration:
Before directing films, I spent over ten years working as a theatre director. “AOSHO! Voices in Bloom” began as a musical-style stage production. The show became a major success in Japan, which led me to turn the story into a film.
The two lead actors played the same roles in the original stage production, so they already knew the characters and the story very well.
I was also a member of a choir when I was a child. Singing with others was a very special experience for me, and I wanted to bring some of those memories and feelings into this story. Through the film, I hoped to show how singing can bring people together and help them understand one another.
The Process:
Filming took place around Tokyo and on a remote island in Japan. Principal photography lasted about one month. As this was my first feature film as a director, I brought together as many experienced crew members as I could.
One of the biggest challenges was the editing. I was not satisfied with the first edit, so I decided to edit the film myself. It was a difficult process, but I believe it gave the film its own style.
For the final scene with the cherry blossoms, we waited six months after the main shoot so that we could film real cherry trees in full bloom. On the day when the blossoms were at their most beautiful, the two lead actors and the crew came together again to film the scene. During those six months, both lead actors had grown, both as performers and as people. I believe that change made the scene feel more real.
What It Means to Be a Finalist:
Being selected for the Worcester Film Festival is a great honour for our team. We hope audiences will enjoy seeing the young people in “AOSHO! Voices in Bloom” care for and support one another through singing, as well as the beautiful scenery of Japan. Thank you for welcoming our film to Worcester.
Where to Watch / Follow:
Follow @aosho_film for updates on “AOSHO! Voices in Bloom,” and follow director Kyoji Yamaguchi at @kyoji_movie for updates on future projects and filmmaking.
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