Acclaimed Directors Zhao and Kore-eda Reveal Emotional Connections in Intimate Conversation

In a recent conversation at the Tokyo International Film Festival, acclaimed directors Chloe Zhao and Kore-eda Hirokazu opened up about the deep emotional connections they share through their filmmaking. Prior to their discussion, both directors had been moved to tears by each other's work - Kore-eda was deeply affected by Zhao's "Hamnet," while Zhao spent an hour crying over Kore-eda's 1998 masterpiece "After Life."

The mutual admiration set the tone for an insightful dialogue between the two auteurs, who revealed striking similarities in their creative approaches. Neither Zhao nor Kore-eda knows how their films will end when they begin shooting, with Zhao admitting this "very stressful" process nearly proved disastrous on "Hamnet." The breakthrough came during a car ride, when Zhao found inspiration in a haunting musical track that helped her discover the film's true ending.

Kore-eda expressed a similar openness to spontaneity, explaining how he abandons storyboards once on set and rewrites the script as he goes. Both directors emphasized the importance of capturing the mundane details of daily life to create a meditative rhythm before emotional moments arrive. Zhao and Kore-eda also discussed the challenges and joys of the filmmaking process, from working with cinematographers to balancing work and family life.

Despite their different cultural backgrounds, the two directors discovered deep thematic connections in their work, exploring themes of the human experience, the power of storytelling, and the illusion of separation. As they look ahead, Zhao and Kore-eda remain committed to their unique creative visions, driven by a desire to dissolve the barriers that divide us and reveal the underlying oneness of the world.