Interview by Nicholas Vroman

Check out my interview by Nicholas Vroman on MENTAL.

N – How was Mental received at the Japanese premier (at the Yubari Film Festival)?

Soda – It was intense, actually. The screening ended around 12:45 am. And then our Q & A lasted until 2 o’clock in the morning. And then we called it a day, but then there were so many people who wanted to talk about the film that we were in the lobby until 3. And it’s always the case – as soon as the film finishes, everyone wants to talk about it. I mean that’s the nature of the film or rather, the subject matter (mental illness). And it also has something to do with the fact there aren’t so many chances to talk about it – this issue – because, usually, everybody’s a little bit hesitant, Even though somebody you know or somebody in your family is suffering from the same kind of illness, because of its nature, because of the taboo, people are not used to talking about it. But because of the film, people pour their emotions; pour out their thoughts and questions. And that’s what happens after the film. In Berlin, too, we ended our Q & A discussion around 1:40 am and we had to get out of the room, get out of the theater because the theater had to close the door. Pusan too. The same thing happened. Everywhere I go I see the same reactions.

(to read further, go to the link below)

http://pageofmadness.wordpress.com/2010/02/17/an-interview-with-kazuhiro-soda-director-of-mental/