Wim Wenders Honors Koji Yakusho at Far East Film Festival, Citing 'Perfect Days' Documentary Approach
In a significant cinematic event, acclaimed director Wim Wenders personally traveled to Udine for the 28th Far East Film Festival to present the Golden Mulberry Award for Lifetime Achievement to the distinguished actor Koji Yakusho. This special occasion served as a platform for Wenders to discuss their collaborative work on the film “Perfect Days,” specifically highlighting a unique shift in their filmmaking process that diverged from typical fictional narrative techniques.
Wenders, who directed Yakusho in the role of Hirayama, a quiet Tokyo toilet cleaner in the Cannes prize-winning film from 2023, conveyed to the audience that he would have undertaken this journey for no one else. He recounted a crucial turning point that occurred just three days into filming, where Yakusho's portrayal of the character surpassed the initial script's expectations. Wenders then proposed an unconventional method of proceeding directly to filming without extensive rehearsals, which Yakusho readily embraced.
From that moment forward, Wenders revealed, he found himself employing a documentary-like discipline in bringing the scripted story to life. He emphasized that Yakusho embodied Hirayama so profoundly that Wenders felt no need for retakes, drawing a parallel to documentary filmmaking where authenticity is paramount and re-shooting is typically avoided. Wenders mused that this innovative approach to shooting fiction with the spontaneity of a documentary might be unprecedented in cinematic history, commending Yakusho for enabling such an artistic exploration. The ceremony also saw the presence of Takasaki Takuma, co-writer of “Perfect Days,” a film that garnered Yakusho the Best Actor award at Cannes.
Reflecting on his nearly five-decade-long career, Yakusho humbly accepted the award, extending his gratitude to his family, friends, and the global community of filmmakers and audiences who have shaped his journey. He particularly acknowledged his collaboration with Wim Wenders as a profoundly significant experience that expanded his understanding of cinema's possibilities, thanking the festival for orchestrating this memorable recognition. The Golden Mulberry, the highest accolade from the Far East Film Festival—an annual event in Udine celebrating popular Asian cinema—underscores Yakusho's enduring legacy, which includes a tribute program of seven films personally selected by him, marking a highlight in the festival's rich history. Now 70, Yakusho's illustrious career has seen him become a pivotal figure in Japanese cinema, starring in diverse genres from crime thrillers to historical epics and international co-productions, and maintaining a notable partnership with director Kurosawa Kiyoshi, as well as appearing in iconic works by Itami Juzo, Imamura Shohei, Suo Masayuki, and Miike Takashi.
