Club_A member Omori Ayumu: The fun of making a movie is seeing what everyone is saying

■ Profile

Born on 1985 month.
Born in Tokyo. Raised in Omori Ranch, Aichi Prefecture, his family runs an antique shop. Graduated from Tama Art University's Graphic Design Department. Member of Club_A and commercial director. His work includes Daiwa House's "Portrait of a Family," Milbon's "On the Way Home from the Beauty Salon," Care Leave's "I Am a Band-Aid," and Line Christmas. This film, "Spring," marks his directorial debut. His 2021 release includes the short film "Egg and Ayako" (starring Ayame Goriki and Amane Okayama), which was selected for the SSFF & ASIA 2020 Creators Support Project.

Director Omori Ayumu grew up surrounded by art and nature, with his family running an antiques shop at Omori Ranch in Aichi Prefecture. This was his directorial debut with "Spring," starring Furukawa Kotone. We spoke to him about his roots, which give him the strength to stick to his own beliefs, the story of his grandfather, who shared his own experiences, and his thoughts on this film, which directly captures real emotions.

■The Beatles' "Yellow Submarine" made him decide to move to Tokyo

I was never really good at sports. I grew up in the countryside, so there weren't many options for club activities, and I just happened to start art school. OfInfluenced by my father, I was exposed to a lot of movies, and both my parents were artists, so drawing was an extension of my daily life. Then, after seeing the Beatles' animated film "Yellow Submarine," I thought, "I want to create something like that," and decided to go to Tama Art University, which has produced many art animation directors, and moved to Tokyo.
At the time, I wanted to become an animator, so I majored in animation at the graphic design department. Therefore, I wasn't particularly interested in advertising, but I got a job offer from AOI Pro., a company that produces commercials, and I started working in advertising. I worked in commercial production for about eight years, and three years ago, I wanted to create my own story from scratch, so I decided to start film, which I'd loved since I was a child.TheWe took on this challenge as an independent production.

■My story and that of my grandfather

This film is about myself andOwnI used friends around me as models for the film. I wrote down the many uncertainties of people who knew what they wanted to do, people who were struggling to find a job in something they loved, and people who were job hunting without deciding on their future. Also, the death of my grandfather two years prior to filming was a major impetus for me to make this film. I lived with my grandfather during my prep school and university years, so I was deeply shocked when he passed away.
For the first time, someone I lived with died right in front of me, and I saw his soul leave his body. I felt like "my grandfather had become a container." At that moment, I realized, "People die." At the time, I was extremely busy with work, and I often found myself wanting to give form to my depressed feelings. When I actually witnessed my grandfather's death and compared it with what I wanted to do, I decided I wanted to write a story about myself and my grandfather. From there, I looked back at the mixi posts from that time, in which I had written about my life with my grandfather, and wrote the script.

■ A script and title that was carefully crafted　

When I watch movies or TV dramas, the script is what I pay the most attention to. That's why I was so particular about the script when making this film, revising it over 100 times and showing it to others. I checked over and over again to make sure there were no parts that I didn't like. In this story, a grandfather and his grandson, who is an art school student, live together. At first, I tried to explain the relationship between the two in the film.
However, since it is a short story, I thought that by removing the explanations, viewers would be able to concentrate and search for clues and answers about the relationship between the two characters.
I also thought that by focusing on their feelings rather than the setting, people would be able to see the two characters in a more documentary-like, realistic way.
At first, I thought I'd title the work "Home." But as I looked at the relationship between grandfather and grandson, I wondered whether it was appropriate to limit it to the relationship between a grandfather and grandson as a family. When you live as a family, each person "plays" the other's role, so the relationship between grandfather and grandson is just that of grandfather and grandson. But when they actually live together, those roles disappear, and it becomes more like living together as people rather than as family. That's why Grandpa is so proud that he doesn't want me to see his bathroom. Rather than using the word "home," which has a specific function, I wanted the viewer to feel the delicate emotional connection between Ami and Grandpa. That's why the title "Spring" has many meanings, such as the beginning of life and adolescence...I chose it because I wanted the work to show hope for the future.

■Maybe I make films because I want to hear other people's opinions.

I was very concerned about what other people would think when I made it. I also read a lot of comments. I have no shame in what I've created, so I'm genuinely curious about what people think. I also find it really fun to read negative comments and imagine what kind of people they usually tweet, or what kind of person they are based on their icon. I'm the type of person who doesn't really care what other people say to me.
When I was a child, the neighbors would sometimes mock my father's antique shop, calling it a "haunted house," but I thought it was just humor and didn't really mind. I just thought, "They must be saying that because there's something funny about it."
With my films, first of all I'm happy that people have seen them, and I want to know what people think, which scenes they thought were good, why they thought so, and get to know the person through their impressions, and I'd like to talk to them. Even among the harsh criticisms there are times when I think they're right on the mark. In fact, maybe I made the film just to see those kinds of comments (laughs).
Filming this job is really fun. The actors always deliver performances that exceed my expectations. I hope everyone will enjoy the performance of Kotone Furukawa, who just made her debut in this film. I remember that she had such an incredible aura that it was hard to believe this was her first leading role. The main character, Ami, is a girl who adapts to the atmosphere around her, but is also kind and doesn't tell others when she is confused. She has brilliantly portrayed the sensitive Ami, who speaks in a clear manner. I hope you will enjoy her performance on the big screen.

■Message to university students

Every time I hear about the coronavirus, my heart aches. Why do I have to wear a mask during my time as a university student, the most exciting and youthful time of my life? I know it must be really tough. That's why I want you to read lots of books and watch lots of movies and hone your sensibilities for the next few years. Right now, you may only be able to meet people you're close to, but I want you to nurture the "devil" and interesting parts of yourself and prepare to meet lots of people. There are so many more fun things to do than there are now. And I want you to fall in love a lot!

□ Student Newspaper Online Interview on August 30, 2021 Aki Kawanami, 4th year student at Tsuda University

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■ Information

Ami is an art student living with her grandfather.
In contrast to Ami, who grows into an adult, the grandfather becomes increasingly senile and regresses to childhood.
Eventually, the two people's sensibilities overlap.

The story of a year in the life of an art student who lives with his grandfather who has dementia.

The short film "Spring," which won the Grand Prix at the Kyoto International Film Festival 2018 Creators Factory and nine other film festivals, as well as the Newcomer Award (Omori Ayumu) ​​at the Agency for Cultural Affairs' Japan Media Arts Festival 2019 and the Best Actress Award (Furukawa Kotone) at the TAMA NEW WAVE, has been announced for simultaneous screening with director Omori Ayumu's new film, "Ricchan, Kenchan's Summer."

"Spring" is a masterpiece that sensitively portrays the feelings of an art student caring for her grandfather, based on the director Omori's own experiences. He lived with his grandfather for three years, graduated from art school, and is currently active as a director of commercials and other films. The director's realistic portrayal of the dirty emotions he likely had in the past, such as the protagonist's unconscious actions as he becomes increasingly irritated with his grandfather's dementia, strikes a chord with viewers.

The main character, Ami, is played by Kotone Furukawa, who has attracted attention for her role as the only daughter of the main couple in the NHK morning drama "Yell," as well as Arimura Kasumi's younger sister in "The Conte Begins," "Any Crybabies Around?" and "On the Town."

Kao Osamu, who has been a central member of the Tokyo Vaudeville Show theatre company for 20 years and is currently active mainly on stage, plays the grandfather, and Kato Sakiko, who played the irradiated piano in "The Seaside Cinema - Cinema's Treasure Box" (director: Obayashi Nobuhiko), plays Ami's anime-otaku classmate, Hashimoto.