Shadows of trees were cast on the wall of Frida Kahlo's house.

Sun is very strong here.

Here in the past, What did Frida think of? A freedom?

A man called Louis invited me to the film festival. He looks like a
character in the Simpsons.
He smiles very warmly.

We had a drink that night. I tried Mexican local pulque and got tipsy.
I was taken to the floor for dance.
I felt like cells of my body got activated.

I miss Mexico now.
It was very good travel.

メキシコを懐かしく想う。
ああ、いい旅だったんだな。

My son flew back to Japan with his favorite Ms. T., meanwhile I came to Brazil for business.
Every morning and evening, we have a chat via skype.
He has already got over his jet lag, wakes up early and goes to school. After that, he goes to children's home and Japanese abacus school.
I have to follow him.
Child has an ability to adapt everything. How wonderful.

This is Rio de Janeiro.
I found this tile at the famous touristic spot on the hill of Santa Teresa.
It has been stuck to the long steps.
Have you ever seen this?
The Japanse baseball team Hanshin Tigers seems to be famous in Brazil.
Or this tile might fit Brazilian tastes.
I like Brazil more.

This is seashore in Rio de Janeiro.
You can see the Atlantic.
You can also see a lot of masculine guy exercising on the beach in the morning.
As for women, there are some women in bikini whom I think a bit inappropriate in public.
I know it's not their fault since the sweets are too sweet to keep their beautiful figures.
So I do yoga there.
I feel great.
Every dish is delicious. I mostly eat vegetables, fruits, and beans.
It is very comfortable to stroll along the beach.
I guess condition of my skin becomes better.

They say this country is new.
They also say their ancestors came from Portugal, or they are desended from Amazon natives.
Forms are different from Japan.
Even so, we are almost same when it comes to a transition to the globalization age.
Young generations say they are different from their former generations.
Their lifestyles or way of thinking are changing.
 

I came to Brasilia.
This is a capital which has only 50 years of history.
There is a artificial lake and a tower exposed in a desert.
It reminds me of Tokyo Tower.
A church which looks like a contemporary art.
And a straight horizontal line.
All is new and seems to be embraced each other.
 

The Government and the central bank are supporting cultural center since  there is still a lack of culture.
They hold my retrospective at the national cultural center.
My 30 works are screened here.
There is a Q&A session after screening. Audience are so eager that sometimes it goes on for 1 hour and a half.
 

A pamphlet was published and is given away for free.
I've no idea how big their budget is.
I also have been impressed that most of the workers here are young ladies in their 30s.
 
All of them can speak English. They have quick wits and gentle hearts.
How will it be like at 1000 years from now?
I suddenly feel familiar to Brazil.
I feel the sun, moon, stars, sea, land, and breeze there. 

 

I will go to the hill of Santa Teresa again.
The Copacabana Beach.
Brazilian vegetable dishes. Sweet bananas.
Views of Rio de Janeiro from Sugar Loaf Mountain and Corcovado.

 

Unfortunately I couldn't watch football. But I bought a official uniform for my son.

Many thanks from the bottom of my heart.

Here I will update you on my days at the 64th Festival de Cannes.

I have already left Cannes, and now I am typing this letter from Brazil, where my retrospective showcase is going on. I would like to thank again for all of your support.

Though I regret to tell you that this year I missed out on any award, it was a great opportunity to expose and share the life and rich landscapes of Nara with the people around the world.

When I arrived in Cannes, Theirry Fremaux, who is the general delegate of the festival, greeted us with his warm words, "Welcome back", and on the last day of my stay in Cannes, he said to us, "I will follow and support your project in Nara."

Christian Jeune, who is the director of film department, mainly in charge of Asian films, gave us some wonderful comments on "Hanezu" as follows;

...Showing a big picture of nature is also showing the intimate feeling of human being. This is what I call harmony. Harmony in its violence, softness, past and present, nature and man. Harmony in all its diversity here. This is what I felt strongly about this film.

Also, many random people, who're passing by me on streets gave me many wonderful and encouraging words such as '...watching your film was like being in a shower of the beautiful lumiere of nature' or '...It was really a beautiful film,' looking straight into my eyes with their sincerity.

It all made me feel connected with the people regardless of nationalities.
The film will be released on September 3rd, in Japan, which will be followed by the screenings around the world.

I look forward to seeing you all in the theaters soon.

Naomi Kawase

I received an official invitation from Festival de Cannes. My new feature film HANEZU is in the competition at the 64th Cannes Film Festival.
 
Please check out the following URL; http://www.festival-cannes.fr/jp.html

Robert De Niro is the president jury this year, and Woody Allen's new film will open the festival.
 
For all the disasters happened to Japan, I feel there is a certain responsibility/role given to me to go there and share my film with the world.
 
Every life/soul is very strong, but at the same time so fragile.
All I can do is to embrace my life and be grateful for the days I am given to live.
 
I would like to express my utmost gratitude to Festival de Cannes for providing me this opportunity; The opportunity to share my film along with all the amazing filmmakers; The opportunity to share what I shot/captured in the landscapes and people's lives in my own country with the world.
 
I am hoping my new film HANEZU will become a story meaningful not only for us, Japanese, but also for anyone on the planet, regardless of origins.
 
Through cinema, I would like to live my life to the fullest, and I would like to share the joy of life and the miracle that we all alive at the same time with you all.
 
Starting at Cannes in May, I hope this film will travel extensively, and I hope this film will grow something meaningful in people's hearts.

This film simply depicts what it is 'to live' our lives based on the old and profound history of Nara, Japan. In the ancient time, people took more time and waited long to make their wishes come true. Sometimes they 'waited' for things to grow. Sometimes they 'waited' for someone important to love back. Sometimes they 'waited' for their family to come back. And sometimes, they still waited, even if they knew it is no use to wait any longer. They 'waited' for things with good grace.
 
In the debris of its history, there are numerous lives/souls, which never had their wishes come true after waiting for a long time.
 
Nowadays, in the mass media, we tend to see so called important people and the striking news that are going to shape our history.
 
In this film, however, I tried to feature upon those lives/souls, which had been forgotten or treated unimportantly in history, but lived 'waiting' for their own important wishes and messages for the future come true.
 
Every life/soul is very strong, but at the same time so fragile.
All I can do is to embrace my life and be grateful for the days I am given to live.
 
I am convinced that we are all part of the long history of hundred, thousand, and million years, as long as we are living our lives given to us to the fullest.
 
With this message in my heart, I am going to share my film with the world.

＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊
Above are my thoughts for my new film HANEZU.
 It will be released in September in Japan.
 I am wishing this film will share the beauty of Japan with many people around the globe.
 Naomi Kawase
＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊

What the earthquake, tsunami and the ensuing severe disasters brought on us,
I can't explain it by words.
Those many evacuees, those many lives lost, there is no distinction among them.
I can't explain how deep my sorrow is.

Even so, I would like to cherish every moment of my life, be grateful for my daily lives and live out my whole life, since I think I am nurtured by the great nature.

96 Years Old Grandma

My grand mother celebrated her 96 years old birthday at home.
She has been in a nursing home since last summer and has taken life one day at a time.
She stayed home just for an hour.
I was very glad that she utterd "my home" and "thanks."
In addition, she ate a small portion of cake.
We found some grasses growing in the backyard, though it was still cold there.
Today is different from yesterday.
My grand mother taught us such a simple and gentle fact.
I thanked her for having been with us. 

Leaving my work behind in Tokyo, I came back home to make a lunch for a nursery school trip which will be the last for my son.
Since I caught a last train yesterday night and woke up a bit late in the morning, I felt rushed but finally made it.
My hair became rough, though.

Voila! Ketchup fried rice ball!
Bring this and enjoy the trip!

 

I went out with my son on Sunday after a long interval.
He was playing my neighbour's dog. Shortly -

He
was
done.

I didn't care about them. His cap was badly bitten.

There was a heavy snowfall here in Nara. It has been rare for some decades.
My son made a snowman for the first time.
He was glad.
I had been glad when I was a child.
I felt rather glad than I felt cold then.
We can distinguish children from adults according to their feeling when they see snow falling.

This picture was taken at the side of Asuka river.
We filmed Hanezu around there.
Beautiful.
Doesn't it seem like snow flowers?
Air was also clear.
Cold but beautiful.
I was glad. 

I prepared miso paste this year.