리버 리턴즈River Returns

DIRECTING INTENTION

A river has always been my favorite subject to shoot. In my mountainous country, filming rivers means filming mountains, the source of water. In the past, Japan's mountains were home to diverse forest ecosystems. By protecting and coexisting with these ecosystems, people were able to minimize river flooding and benefit from nature's bounty. However, after the wars of the 19th and early 20th centuries and the rapid reconstruction after WWII, the reforestation continued to provide timber, and our energy needs changed from charcoal to petrol. As a result, trees deemed less useful for modern times were felled, and the diversity of the mountains and the mystery they held were lost. The relationship between nature and human beings, passed down from generation to generation over hundreds and thousands of years, may have been characterized by a deep respect and reverence for “others,” seeking to value the existence of all other beings and even the unseen beings. In the film, a young boy follows a disappearing tradition in the mountains during the post-war reconstruction period to save his family. He travels up the river, ending up trying to save someone he has never met. His straightforwardness, like a flowing river, will surely purify our hearts and restore our "consideration for others". I hope that this film will be reflected in people’s hearts like a crystal-clear river.