Silver-screen actress Sayuri Yoshinaga's starring role in "Kita no Sakuramori" (Sakura Guardian in the North) marks her 120th film. She plays a mother named Tetsu who survives the turbulent years after the end of World War II.
For the 73-year-old actress, this is also the first film in which she has performed with popular actor Masato Sakai, who portrays the protagonist's younger son. It opened in theaters nationwide earlier this month.
"I had a dreamlike time," Sakai said. "She [Yoshinaga] warmly accepted all my acting, no matter how I went about it. I really enjoyed it."
The veteran actress described Sakai as an actor who is "brilliant in turning himself into the character" he plays.
"I've seen many of the works he's taken part in," she said. "All the characters he's played are very different from each other, yet they all left a strong impression on my heart. He's a very intriguing person."
To find inspiration for playing the mother, Yoshinaga visited Sakhalin, Russia, with director Yojiro Takita, as the story starts in the region in the final days of the war. The shooting took place on and off over six months from February to July last year.
"I was concerned about whether I could stay fit enough to do my part until the end of filming," the actress said. "I'm glad I could cross the finish line."
Shooting took place at various locations in Hokkaido, where Takita captured scenes that were both austere and beautiful at the same time.
Yoshinaga said drift ice in Abashiri in the prefecture was particularly impressive. "It was extremely cold -- like I was in a freezer," she recalled. "But I really was intrigued by that [drift ice]. It has enchanting power, like cherry blossoms."
Thanks to meticulous preparations, the film crew were able to capture a scene with drift ice all over the sea's surface. There are reportedly only a handful of days every year when you can witness such a scene.
"Maybe the drift ice was also drawn to Yoshinaga-san," Sakai said.
In the film, Tetsu lives on her own in Abashiri, while Shujiro, who has gone to the United States as a young man, returns to Japan and starts living with his mother in Sapporo. But Tetsu disappears, fearing she may cause trouble for her son. Shujiro leaves his business and tracks down his mother.
Sakai described his role as being "the opposite of selfless."
"I considered [Shujiro] to be egocentric," the actor said. "However, I accepted him without repudiating him or approving of him." The actor carefully chose his words when discussing his character.
"A mother's love for her children can be egocentric" if it crosses the line, Sakai said. "But it can only be described as beautiful.
"I thought this is a profound story, not simply a good story," he continued. "Good and evil, beautiful and dirty mingle with each other. I didn't mean to cry [during the shooting], but there were scenes where I was naturally overcome with emotion."
The film also embraces past and present, with dreams and reality interacting with each other. There are also elements of a musical and a road movie. "I think this film is diverse, so that every viewer can relate to it from their point of view," Yoshinaga said.
Asked about her 121st film, the actress said, "If I thought I'd given everything I could, then I'd end it there. It's fun to think about what could be next.
"I hope I can start moving forward again after seeing this film's release," she said. "I would visit a theater many times to watch this movie with filmgoers."
Please visit www.kitanosakuramori.jp for more information about the film.
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