‘Monster’ Director Hirokazu Kore-Eda On How He Handled LGBTQ Themes With His Young Characters – Cannes

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In the throes of Hirokazu Kore-Eda’s latest Rashomon-infused narrative Cannes competition film, Monsters, are two boys learning about their feelings for one another. “There haven’t been many Japanese films that address these topics,” acknowledged the 2018 Shoplifters Palme d’Or winner about the LGBTQ themes among the young boys in Monster at a morning festival press conference. “When I discovered the screenplay, I thought to myself, this story should not be viewed from that angle.

It’s an inner struggle,” the Japanese filmmaker continued. Monster follows Saori (Ando Sakura), a take-no-prisoners widowed mother, who is now bringing up her son Minato (Kurokawa Soya) who is weathering tough times in his elementary school.

Mom learns that son’s odd behavior may have to do with his teach, who Minato says hit him. The pic is told from several different points of view, including that of the teacher, Hori (Nagayama Eita), Minato and the friend he adores, Yori (Hiiragi Hinata). “The feelings that are kindled in these young children are sometimes expressed violently toward other people, or sometimes children turn against themselves,” said the filmmaker who shot off of Yuji Sakamoto’s script.

Expounding on how he respected the LGBTQ issues in the film, Kore-Eda said, “It’s the birth of emotions, of feelings. It’s difficult to put in words to what one feels.” “The film shows how these children try to rise above this situation,” Kore-Eda emphasized. “As progress on the film was made, we met with some experts who take care of children who have to deal with some of these issues.