My Search For "Yuri" (1996)
A semi-lost directorial debut from Yuji Sakamoto
My discovery of this rare film came while I was browsing Hiroshi Fujiwara music on Yahoo Japan. I came across the soundtrack to “Yuri” (ユーリ) which was created by Hiroshi Fujiwara for the film and was captivated by the films peculiar plot. Directed by Yuji Sakamoto, “Yuri” was his directorial debut and was released on VHS in 1996. As someone that torrents and downloads many rare Japanese films frequently, I was stumped when I couldn’t find this film, even a trailer, anywhere. The film has a single rating on letterboxed further proving its obscurity.
Trailer:
The other day, I was searching for a copy of the VHS on YJP as I do every once in a while and decided to try and dig up some more information on the film. I managed to find an old version of the movie’s website which included a bunch of rare info and a trailer! The video and audio in most of the clips I recovered is pretty distorted and I don’t speak Japanese but I was still excited to find this. Below is some of the information I scraped from the website. (PS. If one of you ever finds a copy of the VHS for sale please let me know)
Overivew:
“Yuri is a delicate yet poignant love story set during the last week of an unusually chilly August summer break. With little to occupy his time, Masayuki (Issei Ishida) encounters the enigmatic Nanami (Maki Sakai) in town. Accompanied by an Iranian youth named Amir (Omid Moradi), Nanami is transporting a mysterious white refrigerator called "Yuri." Hidden inside is the corpse of her lover Nonomura (Masatoshi Nagase), whom she accidentally killed during a game. Despite knowing she has a boyfriend, Masayuki finds himself irresistibly drawn to Nanami. Together, the trio embarks on a journey to the sea to rid themselves of the grim refrigerator. What unfolds at the sunless shoreline is a strange, atmospheric tale of three individuals and the refrigerator “Yuri.”
This film marks the directorial debut of Yuji Sakamoto, celebrated for his screenwriting achievements in TV dramas like Tokyo Love Story and A Promise at Twenty. His aspiration to direct a film was sparked by his 1992 stage production, Love and Revolution, where he first worked with Maki Sakai. Deeply moved by her sensitivity, Sakamoto was inspired to showcase her charm through cinema. Further encouraged by his experiences at the 1993 Cannes Film Festival, he penned Yuri, a film that delicately explores the subtle entanglements of love amidst a record-cool August.
Yuri is a minimalist yet deeply emotional film, free from flashy elements or excessive dialogue. By stripping away explanatory scenes, Sakamoto paints a raw and heartfelt portrait of youth, offering a fresh perspective on filmmaking. The film’s unique atmosphere owes much to its exceptional cast, whom Sakamoto praises as his "ideal lineup."
Masayuki is portrayed by Issei Ishida, a musician and rising star lauded for his compelling performances in TV and theater.
Nanami, whose character inspired Sakamoto’s foray into filmmaking, is played by Maki Sakai in her first film role. Sakai transforms her image to embody a coquettish, nuanced character, revealing new dimensions of her talent.
Nonomura, Nanami’s ill-fated lover, is played in a special appearance by the internationally renowned Masatoshi Nagase.
Yoko, Masayuki’s live-in girlfriend, is played by Yoko Moriguchi, known for her graceful allure in films like Section Chief Kosaku Shima.
Amir, the Iranian youth, is played by Omid Moradi, celebrated for his appearances on Waratte Iitomo.
The production also brings together emerging talents across various fields. Cinematography is by Kazuhiko Ogura, known for his work on Elephant Song. The assistant director is Shinji Aoyama, who debuted with Helpless, while Tomoyuki Furumaya, winner of the New Director Award from the Directors Guild of Japan for This Window is Yours, serves as assistant director.
Music is composed by Hiroshi Fujiwara, a charismatic figure in the club music scene. The soundtrack, featuring contributions from prominent musicians like Janis Ian, became a record-breaking hit upon its release. The film's visual design is crafted by the cutting-edge design unit Tycoon Graphics, whose innovative Macintosh-driven aesthetics add a unique layer to the movie’s style.
Yuri captures the aching helplessness of unrequited love and the emotional ambiguity of youth. Stylish, moody, and reflective of a younger generation's sensibilities, it is a quintessential coming-of-age film.
“I wrote the script for this film during the autumn and winter of 1993.
The initial idea was nothing more than a situation: "a woman and two men go to the sea." At that point, the supporting "shadow protagonist" of the film—a refrigerator called Yuri—did not exist, nor did the characters Nononmura, Yoko, Tsubaki, or Akane. Furthermore, one of the two men accompanying the woman was not yet the Iranian man featured in the final work, but a Japanese man. The decision to make the character named Amir a foreigner was inspired by a man I met during the winter of 1993.
It happened during a trip to Paris. After visiting a friend living in the suburbs of Paris, I was on my way back to my hotel in Saint-Michel, just barely catching the last train of the night. Since it was an outbound train at that late hour, there were almost no passengers. The only people in the carriage were myself and one other man—Alan, who was visiting from Uganda, a country still plagued by civil war.
For some reason, he was kicking the door repeatedly, and seeing him, I thought, "Wow, this guy is dangerous," and started to move to another car. That’s when he offered me a cigarette and started talking to me.
Even though neither of us spoke much English or French, an hour later, we found ourselves in front of the Pompidou Center, holding beers and singing Bob Marley songs together. Alan, who hated war, was far from his homeland, without a home, sleeping in subway stations every day. Yet, he carried himself with a natural sense of pride, refusing charity by saying, "I don’t want handouts." He initially declined my offer to buy him a meal. However, after I insisted, he joined me and talked about various topics during dinner—reggae, the current state of his country, God, and more.
At the end, as a token of thanks for the meal, he gave me a drawing. It was an intricately detailed pencil sketch of zebras running across the savanna, with a single large tree standing tall. He told me, "This is my God."
Later, Alan, a female exchange student who joined us, and I experienced various things together in Paris. I won’t go into those details here, but this film’s script was inspired by that time.
The only ones who know what really happened back then are me, Alan, and the female exchange student. However, if there had been someone like a god watching every detail, they might compare the reality and the movie and say, "This isn’t accurate at all!"
But to me, this film’s script is a vivid documentary, full of reality, and remains a raw and painful truth even now.”
—Yuji Sakamoto
Soundtrack:
On the website I managed to download sample clips of the soundtrack done by Hiroshi Fujiwara. Unfortunately the clip for the 6th track seems to be completely lost (unless you own the actual soundtrack).
**YURI MOVIE SOUNDTRACK CLIPS**
Credits:
Staff:
Yuji Sakamoto [Screenplay & Director]
Born in 1967 in Osaka Prefecture. Sakamoto won the 1st Fuji TV Young Scenario Grand Prize in 1986. Since then, he has consistently garnered support from younger audiences through TV dramas such as Classmates, The Fastest Man in Japan, Tokyo Love Story, A Promise at Twenty, and You Said You Wanted to See the Sea. His theatrical works include Stand by Me and Love and Revolution, the latter of which he also directed. Sakamoto is also active as an essayist and lyricist, contributing to magazines and collaborating with musicians like Tetsuya Komuro and TM Network.
Takenori Sentō [Producer]
Born in Yokohama in 1961 and raised in Takarazuka. Joined WOWOW in 1990, where he launched the J Movie Wars initiative to give opportunities to young directors. Over three years, he produced over 20 films, collaborating with directors such as Sogo Ishii and Masato Harada. His projects, including This Window is Yours (1994) and BeRLiN (1995), have won the Japan Directors Guild New Director Award for two consecutive years.
Hiroshi Fujiwara [Music]
Born in Mie Prefecture in 1964. Fujiwara emerged in the 1980s club scene as a pioneer of hip-hop DJs in Japan. He has worked on YMO remixes and produced albums for artists like Kyoko Koizumi and Fumiya Fujii. Fujiwara himself has released two solo albums (Nothing Much Better to Do and Hiroshi Fujiwara in Dub Conference) and is celebrated for his genre-defying musical sensibility.
Cast:
Issei Ishida [Masayuki]
Born in 1974 in Tokyo. Ishida spent two years at a free school in Sydney before returning to Japan. He debuted as an actor in So Sad, It’s Sunny (1992) and gained attention in After School and Under One Roof. His impactful performance in Minors remains memorable. As a musician, he debuted with the self-composed WARNING (1994). Ishida also earned acclaim on stage in Mary of the Fur and Wandering Eyes.
Maki Sakai [Nanami]
Born in Tokyo in 1970, Sakai debuted in the Fuji TV series 90 Days in Tottenham Pub (1992). She gained recognition with her role in a commercial and later starred in dramas such as Double Kitchen and The Eldest Daughter-in-Law. Her role in My Destiny further solidified her career. This year, Sakai released a novel, The Gleaming Belly Button, to great acclaim.
Masatoshi Nagase [Nonomura]
Born in Miyazaki Prefecture in 1966, Nagase debuted in Piss Rider (1983). He gained international recognition for his role in Mystery Train (1990) by Jim Jarmusch. His recent projects include BeRLiN and The Trap from the Hamamike series.
Yoko Moriguchi [Yoko]
Born in Tokyo in 1966, Moriguchi debuted in It’s Tough Being a Man: Tora-san Whistling. She has since appeared in various films, TV dramas, and stage productions.
Omid Moradi [Amir]
Born in Tehran in 1969 to an Iranian father and Russian mother. After graduating from Tehran University’s medical school, Moradi moved to Japan in 1991, where he became a popular comedian and TV personality.
Production Team
Executive Producers: Isao Makoshi, Hiroshi Anesaki, Hiromi Ogose
Producers: Akio Nanjo, Takenori Sentō, Tamotsu Kanamori
Music: Hiroshi Fujiwara (Victor Entertainment Soundtrack)
Visual Design: Tycoon Graphics
Cinematography: Kazuhiko Ogura
Lighting: Yoichi Mutou
Art Direction: Toshihiro Isomi
Editing: Shuichi Kakesu
Assistant Directors: Shinji Aoyama, Kazuhiko Higaki
Supporting Cast
Akane: Kaori Tsuji
Tsubaki: Yoshihiro Kato
Boy in TV: Yuki Kuroda (special appearance)
Gas Station Attendant: Yosuke Eguchi
Distributed by Me & Her Corporation and supported by Bitters End, the film combines the efforts of Pony Canyon, Max Japan, and Yuro to craft a unique cinematic experience.