Director Kiyoshi Kurosawa's 'Chime' Successfully Premiered in Korea with a Successful GV!

On December 14th (Sunday), at the Seoul Art Cinema during the 'Kiyoshi Kurosawa Retrospective, PART II', Director Kiyoshi Kurosawa had a meeting with domestic film fans. After the first domestic premiere screening, Director Kiyoshi Kurosawa attended and had a dignified 100-minute conversation with directors Lee Kyung-mi of 〈The Secret〉 and Lee Hae-young of 〈Ghost〉 and 〈Drug War〉.

First, Director Lee Hae-young opened the discussion with a witty greeting, saying, "I have been a fan since the 20th century, so I have been a fan for 100 years." Director Kiyoshi Kurosawa also responded, "I have watched the films of directors Lee Kyung-mi and Lee Hae-young. I was amazed and moved by both of your films. And I wondered why such films cannot be made in Japan. I thought they were works that have both entertainment and originality. I hope to take away the secret of how to make such films through today's discussion." This created a warm atmosphere.

On that day, regarding the connection between the first domestic screening of 〈Chime〉 and 〈Cure〉, Director Lee Hae-young asked, "How is the Japanese society of 20 years ago when 〈Cure〉 was made different from the current Japanese society that made 〈Chime〉?" Director Kiyoshi Kurosawa replied, "When I shot 〈Cure〉, it was the late 20th century, and there was a giving-up atmosphere around me that said, 'There is nothing good, and everything is coming to an end.' It may sound a bit strange, but there was an atmosphere where feelings like isolation and anxiety could be treated lightly. However, as we entered the 21st century, nothing changed. There have been changes in the environment and living standards, but human emotions and social relationships are not much different from the 20th century, and I have recently realized that they may have even worsened."

He continued, "I don't know when it started, but I had a period where I asked myself, 'Is there no responsibility on my part if nothing has improved in the 21st century?' I have recently come to think that I should not treat social anxiety or morality lightly as a person who makes films. On the other hand, as I get older, I also think about how many more films I can make in the future. Since my responsibility is something I won't know until I die, I have been feeling a light-hearted desire to try making the films I want to make once more."

In response to Director Lee Kyung-mi's question about what the power is to continue making various films, he replied, "I have never analyzed myself on how I keep making films. I just realized that I was continuously making films." This made the audience burst into laughter. Finally, Director Kiyoshi Kurosawa concluded by saying, "It was a pleasant time to talk about many things. I am grateful that both of you asked many interesting questions. I spoke so much that I wondered if it was okay for me to talk this much. I think you all heard some beneficial stories. Thank you for coming."

〈Chime〉 is a story about a cooking class instructor, Matsuoka, who becomes engulfed in a strange sense of horror after hearing an odd statement from a student that a bell sound can be heard. It is the first original work released by the Japanese media distribution platform Roadstead and was released in a limited number of mini theaters (Japanese art theaters). It was officially invited to the 74th Berlin International Film Festival in the Berlinale Special section and received praise as "a great example of art that captures an exciting story within a short running time" (Berlin International Film Festival) and "technical horror and captivating ambiguity. A cold and calm horror that captivates the audience for 45 minutes" (Loud and Clear Reviews).