Pymmik's unofficial translation of the speeches of greeting by the "SILK" main cast members and the director Francois Girard at the Tokyo International Film Festival.

Michael Pitt: The experience in participating in the shooting of SILK had resulted in changing his point of view in life. He felt that the film conveyed the dream-like quality of the original novel.

Koji Yakusho (Hara Jubei); He was so happy to have participated in the shooting of this film with director Girard and the wonderful cast including such actors as Michael Pitt: he was also happy that "SILK" had been selected as the closing film for the Tokyo International Film Festival. Yakusho wished that the audience would enjoy the film as it is so beautiful. Asked about the shooting in the mountain area, Yakusho commented that director Francois Girard was always calm in directing the film, despite any kind of difficulties he confronted, with such as shortage of snow.

Sei Ashina (the Girl): She felt so happy to be able to stand on the stage to greet the audience. It was her utmost happiness that she had met the wonderful cast, the staff and the director Girard. About the film, she commented that "SILK" was like a piece of beautiful music.

Miki Nakatani (Madam Blanche): She felt grateful to have been ben able to work with such an enthusiastic director as Francois Girard, Michael Pitt, and the other wonderful members of the cast with whom she had not had chances to work in the film itself. She added that she personally felt pleased with the film music composed by Ryuichi Sakamoto, since she had long hoped that Sakamoto would compose the sound track music for her films.

Kanata Hongo (the village boy): Before the shooting of the film, he had been so uneasy because he had only worked for Japanese films made in Japan. But with the friendly help from Michael Pitt and the other members of the cast, he felt that he had managed to join in the shooting of the film without any difficulty. He added that since "SILK" was a very warm-hearted film with a slow pace, he wished that the audience would enjoy the film.

Shun Kunimura: His appearance in this film was totally due to director Francois. His role named Umon (who was a helper to Hara Jubei) was not in the original scenario,but when Kunimura happened to meet Girard the director, he was offered a role created by the director. Kunimura felt "SILK" to be a very poetic and good-quality film, with a slow pace depicting the universal love between man and woman. 

Director Francois Girard: It was really significant for "SILK" to be shown at this Tokyo International Film Festival. He found "SILK" very interesting, in the sense that the novel was written in Italian, the background was set in Europe and Japan, and that cast and staff were international. However, he has come to realize that he and the staff made a Japanese film with a Japanese story-line. He was ,therefore, extremely happy that time had now come that a Japanese audience could see this film.
Created on November 5, 2007