A PALE VIEW OF HILLS © 2025 A Pale View of Hills Film Partners
A Pale View of Hills as seen by Kei Ishikawa
Two years after Aru otoko (A Man), which made an impression at the Venice International Film Festival, Kei Ishikawa makes his debut in the Un Certain Regard selection with Tōi Yama-nami No Hikari (A Pale View of Hills). Adapted from Japanese-British writer Kazuo Ishiguro’s first eponymous novel, this drama revisits the memory of post-war Nagasaki through the perspectives of women.
Can you tell us how your film came about?
The film is set in post-war Nagasaki, where the people are still deeply scarred by the atomic bomb and war. It follows the story of a family featuring characters reminiscent of those in films by Ozu. Although these themes have been explored many times in Japanese cinema, by adding a British perspective and the sense of mystery created by an “unreliable narrator” in the style of Kazuo Ishiguro, I believe the film presents an entirely new point of view.
How did you approach the making of the film?
When making the film, the most challenging part was that the Japanese and British parts were different in terms of era, language, cast and crew. Both parts were shot completely separately, and we weren’t even able to meet face-to-face. It was a big challenge for the entire team—the actors, cinematographer, production designers and costume designers. But because we were all trying to build a world that felt true to us today, a strong sense of unity grew among us.
Can you share a few words about your actors?
I want the world to know that Japan has many truly unique, dedicated, and talented actors. I’m excited for international audiences to discover the brilliance of Suzu Hirose, Fumi Nikaido, Yō Yoshida, and others. And of course, we also have great British actors like Camilla Aiko!
What did you learn during the course of making the film?
I learned that in the UK, you don’t need to know the weather forecast—you can just wait five minutes and it’ll change. And as for Japan, if it’s sunny, it’s really sunny—and if it rains, it pours like you’re in the rainforest!
W What would you like people to take away from your film?
This film is also about the new values that people before us, like our parents’ or grandparents’ generation, fought hard to win after the war, such as gender equality, the anti-nuclear movement, and the acceptance of diversity. As these values are now being threatened, I really hope many people will go and see this film.
What made you want to become a director?
I’ve always enjoyed telling stories, but I couldn’t act, I wasn’t good with words and I couldn’t play any instruments. In the end, I picked up a camera, and so far, I’ve somehow managed to make it work.
Can you tell us about your next project?
I’m working on a story about a father and son, inspired by a real event that took place in Japan—the disappearance of a child and the aftermath. The film blends this real-life event with a fictional narrative about what happened to the family afterwards.
