
TheDesertedArchipelagowasmyfirstindependentlydirectedandproducedfilm.ThefilmwontheGrandPrixattheNyonInternationalFilmFestivalandgarneredconsiderableattentionbothoverseasandinJapan.Thefilmfollowsanextremelysimplestoryofaplainboywhomaturesintomanhoodwhileconstantlymanipulatedbynuns.ButwovenintothisnarrativearemyownexperiencesandthehistoryofpostwarJapanaswellasaseriesoffantasies.Theresultisamultifacetedandmultilayeredobjet,thebirthofanewlysur-realisticfilmmaking.OnAugust15th,thedaythewarended,Iwasinthethirdyearofprimaryschool.Thatday,whentherealitythatIhadknownturnedcompletelyupsidedown,Iwassaddledwiththetraumaofnolongerbeingabletobelieveinanything.Searchinghereandthereforsomekindofspiritualsalvation,IfinallyfoundtheexistentialismofAlbertCamus.Fromthere,Iwasabletobuildupmyownkindofexistentialismandthisfilmisbestunderstoodasbasedinthat“KanaiKatsuExistentialism.”ThefilmwaspraisedbyEuropeanfilmscholarsMaxTessierandTonyRaynsandwasscreenedaspartof“Eiga:25YearsofJapaneseFilm,”aspecialprogramatthe1984EdinburghInternationalFilmFestival.

