At ADFEST 2019, Tomu Yamaguchi presented a short film called ‘Return’ as part of the Fabulous Five program for emerging directors.

Yamaguchi is a Director at AOI Pro. Inc. in Tokyo, and ‘Return’ is a powerful story about a lonely young man who yearns for a family. 

What was it like to present your film to a live audience at ADFEST?

I was nervous. Seeing the movie I had created myself, and thinking about how the audience would react was nerve wracking. But I knew I had to power through the 5 minutes it would take for it to be screened. Thankfully, I couldn’t see their immediate reactions too well from the stage, because of the lighting.

‘Return’ is one of the first short films you have ever directed. What was the hardest part of making your film?

I made several short films as a student, but this time I actually worked with staff, where several of them were my seniors. Communication proved to be a bit of a challenge, considering many of them were people I had just met.

Tell us about your script: how did you get this idea of a boy with a 'pretend' family?

In Japan, services like “rental families” and “rental boyfriends” actually exist, and the idea of people spending money to resolve loneliness became sort of an inspiration for the script.

What have you been doing since ADFEST 2019? Are you working on any interesting projects right now?

I haven’t done much this year apart from ADFEST. I’m starting to feel a little restless, so I’m looking forward to starting on some new projects!

How long have you been working at AOI Pro. Inc. as a director? What is your proudest achievement there?

It’s been two years since I started, but I still haven’t directed that much. My proudest achievement is probably being able to hold a speech in English at ADFEST. I spent 6 hours practicing at the hotel!  

Do you think that screening ‘Return’ at ADFEST has helped your career?

I was able to meet a lot of people, and overall it was a great experience as a director – and a memory for life. I definitely think this experience has helped my career.  

Do you have any advice for other directors: what does it take to ‘make it’ as a director?

I’d like directors to appreciate the process behind the creation of a short film. Don’t just think of the end product, but also treasure the steps you took to get there.

What is your goal for the next 12 months?

If possible, I’d like to challenge myself with a project even bigger than the screening at ADFEST!

What is your favourite memory of ADFEST 2019?

The whole experience became a favorite memory to me. It was my first time in Thailand, and my first time participating at ADFEST. I’ll do my best to return one day!

* ADFEST is now recruiting emerging Directors and Assistant Directors for its Fabulous Five 2020 program. To enter, simply write a short film script inspired by the theme of ADFEST 2020, ‘Fired Up!’ and submit here. The deadline is 3^rd January 2020.