Big Sky Documentary Film Fest - Gatekeeper
Patrolling a popular tourist destination of steep cliffs that plummet into the Sea of Japan, a retired police officer vigilantly intercepts troubled souls looking to jump, his count of lives saved now over 500.
Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Yung Chang
Watch Gatekeeper here:
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
The film culminated around a certain time of events. I came across an article in the back page of Time magazine a few years ago about Shige and his work. I was very moved by it because, around that time, I had lost a relative and then a friend to suicide.
Shige’s story resonated with me — here was a man who seemed to have a unique way of understanding suicide and suicide prevention, operating this non-profit and serving traditional food (oroshi mochi) to create a nostalgic trigger that rekindles a reason for attemptees to live.
What especially struck me, though, was his selflessness beyond just finding people on the cliffside. The real issue is long-term: how you support someone not only throughout their ordeal but also throughout their lives, and that’s what Shige does. He drives hours across the country to talk with people he’s saved and even gets in the room to negotiate disputes between family members. It’s very selfless, and in a way a kind of old school approach — he’s not a therapist, and he’s figuring things out as he goes.
On top of that, when I first met Shige and he told me the story about the old couple he couldn’t save before he retired, I began to see how he has this sense of guilt. This is part of what drives him; he’s someone who has a struggle, an inner conflict. And that was also quite moving.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
I define documentary based on the National Film Board of Canada’s definition that it is "the interpretation of reality." I make films to provoke audiences and to move them emotionally. Documentary should be cinematic and not just a news report. No one should feel forced to watch this film, but I made it as a character study into a fascinating and flawed person who’s dedicated his remaining years to help suicidal people. In addition, it’s also a window into another culture and society (Japan), one that functions very differently than Western culture.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development and production?
Whenever I work on a film, even if it’s a documentary, I want to come into it with a sense of the theme and a vision of the story.
For Gatekeeper, I prepared as much as possible: writing down the character I imagined Shige to be, imagining the story from beginning to end. I wanted to build into my subconscious the scenes and visuals I was trying to achieve.
However, when shooting in production, I let much of this go and tried to be as open and present as possible. Anything can happen in a documentary; essentially if you’re improvising. But it helps to go into it with a tacit idea of where to train your camera and what details are important.
Ultimately, I was also focused on telling a narrative within the medium of a 40 minute short film, not a 90 minute feature like I’m accustomed to making. What’s interesting about a short film to me is being able to build the story up to a climax and then hanging on that moment, leaving it abstract. The impact there can be quite powerful.
Stylistically, I decided that rather than making an observational cinéma vérité film, I’d use interviews as a way to establish Shige’s voice as the film’s guide. I went in fully optimistic that I’d capture Shige saving somebody. It didn’t happen until the third week of the shoot, but we got it with the boy with the backpack, and we pieced the story together around that. When we did that, I wanted to make our four weeks of footage feel like it was shot in a day — it’s dark in the morning, the day goes by, and then it’s dark again at night.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
We won the Los Angeles Film Festival’s Best Short documentary. We are a Vimeo Staff Pick and Atlantic Monthly Editor’s Pick. Overall feedback has been quite positive. Most audiences where I’ve attended Q&A’s want to learn more about the nature of suicide in Japanese culture, as it’s different than in the West.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
When I hear from audience members who’ve also lost friends or relatives to suicide, it can sometimes feel like the film has offered some sort of healing.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
Just to share ideas and inform audiences of the world beyond their backyard. Simon Kilmurry wrote a moving article for the Hollywood Reporter. I suggest additional reading here: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/why-documentaries-matter-more-ever-guest-column-976290
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Just audience and eyeballs. Maybe film festival programmers too.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
Encourage conversation and debate around the nature of suicide and suicide prevention. Provocation also on the meaning of life.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
Why should we save people who are suicidal? Isn’t it their choice to live or die?
What are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I’m starting a new feature documentary about controversial journalist, Robert Fisk. Completing screenplay for my first feature, Eggplant. Taking care of my newborn daughter.
Interview: December 2017
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We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series and music video. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
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Gatekeeper
Patrolling a popular tourist destination of steep cliffs that plummet into the Sea of Japan, a retired police officer vigilantly intercepts troubled souls looking to jump, his count of lives saved now over 500.
Length:
39 mins
Director:
Yung Chang
Producer:
Yung Chang, Eriko Miyagawa, Bob Moore
Writer:
Yung Chang
Key cast:
Yukio Shige
Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists):
Festival programmers
Funders:
Canada Council for the Arts, Field of Vision, First Look Media, H-Squared Foundation
Made in association with:
EyeSteelFilm Brave River Films
Where can I see it in the next month?
Big Sky Documentary Film Fest on Feb. 26.