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Interview with Shohei Imamura about the 11’ 09” 01 - SEPTEMBER 11 project
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Where were you on Sept 11 2001? What did you feel when you learnt about these events?
- I was at home. I was surprised by the fact that terrorism had challenged the most powerful country in the world.
You are a very busy film-director. Yet you did not hesitate to answer this invitation: joining in a collective work based around the September 11 events in New York by making one of the 11 shorts. Why?
- Bush made a declaration of war. I thought it would be a long war.
Had you thought of expressing yourself around the events of September 11 before being asked to participate in '11’09’’01'?
- No. I borrowed a book called 'Islam In The Year 2000' from the library but it was long and complicated. I barely got halfway through.
What events or personal experiences did you want to bring to light through your short? What personal echo to the events of September 11?
- Bush appealed to national solidarity and proclaimed his love of his country against the backdrop of the national flag. This image seemed somewhat excessive to me.
How did the idea of your film come to you? Immediately or after long consideration?
- I had just re-read a collection of poetry by Masuji Ibuse. It included a translation of a poem by Tou Fou which moved me greatly. The poem was short and incisive. Straight away I asked Daisuke Tengan to write a scenario based on this poem.
Has the time constraint of 11 minutes, 9 seconds and one frame, imposed on every short, caused difficulties when constructing your story. How did you deal with it?
- Eleven minutes was too short; it caused me problems. My films are built around dialogues; it's the reason I tend to make features.
How did the actors and the technicians make and experience their contributions to the film? How did the shooting progress?
- I asked Ken Ogata to provide the calligraphy and to read Tou Fou's poem. Nijiko Kiyokawa came from comedy and I had already called upon her powerful talent. I chose her because she possessed a kindness which suited a scene in the first version of the script where she shows great kindness to her grandson, who is acting like a snake. Sadly, she grew ill just before shooting began, and later died. I had to find someone else. It was very unfortunate.
Each director has built up his or her film without having the slightest inkling of what the others would do. Has this been a problem for you? How have you experienced or 'lived' this collective work?
- It wasn't a problem. I was happy that the film would draw on the inspiration of many directors from different countries.
In your view, can the film bring new perspectives to a reflection on our contemporary world? Can cinema function as an instrument for peace?
An instrument of peace? It seems doubtful to me.
Do you think that the events of September 11 will influence your future films?
- With the making of this short film, I thought less about the events themselves than about what could make a real short film. Usually my films contain 150 scenes; here I was trying to make one with only 15.
Do you think there exists a 'before' and an 'after' September 11, such events constituting a rupture in contemporary history?
- A 'rupture' like those caused by the French or Russian Revolutions? I don't think so.
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