Interview with Director Jii Zhang

This is a wonderful take on the effects of online dating. What inspired you to tell this story? Did you happen to know anyone who was working for an online dating company who posed as a fake girl?

According to my experience, "as long as you have passion, and you commit to doing something, your hard work will pay off even if it is not exactly the result you wished for". I just wanted to make a movie about this theme. However, making an interesting and fun movie using this theme is a bit difficult. Then, when I actually tried, it was even harder than I imaged. Just when I was getting a headache over this, some of my friends received catfishing spam emails from fake online people of the opposite sex wishing to make contact (this type of email is especially prevalent in Japan). As they were complaining to me, I got inspired. This was how I thought of a story about deceiving and being deceived in the virtual world. Through the contrast, my theme becomes highlighted, and I can still make an interesting and fun movie. And so I began to film. 

I did know someone. When I was discussion this idea with friends, I found out a friend of mine really worked for this kind of fake online dating platform. However, she was actually a girl. I asked her for many details about this, such as how to write content that will pique the other person’s interest, how sometimes she would communicate with the other person even while eating a meal, and so on. These insights was a great help when I was shooting scenes about how catfishing is done. 

In Japanese, Sakura has two meanings. One as everyone knows is the name of a flower; and the other meaning is to pretend. 
 

At times it is heartbreaking to watch the characters as they begin to realize the truth. Do you feel this was in some ways a revenge to make others feel the pain he felt from his previous relationship that ended in betrayal?

To the protagonist, perhaps this was a form of revenge, because he sees happy lovers all around him, and he was the only one who’s heartbroken. He felt a sense of injustice that he had to suffer this emotional trauma. 

What was your casting process like in finding this eclectic group of actors? 

The cast included my friends, family members, and also people referred to me by friends that could play unique roles. I chose among them, and decided on people that I saw as a good fit, which included myself. (I was the one in blue that wore glasses, my role was a guy who got catfished)  

Have you yourself ever used an online dating service?

I have never tried it, but when I was coming up with concepts for the plot, and was telling my friends about how I wanted to make a movie about this, many of them told me they had tried online dating, and all had disastrous results. I also had friends who worked for this type of platform as I previously mentioned. This really surprised me, because I would never know my friends’ stories had I not asked; I found this all to be very interesting. However, there are also some good endings. For example, a really good friend of mine met her husband to whom she’s married now on a good online dating platform. They now have a child together and is very happy.  

Your film has such a specific style and voice. Is there another project in the works? 

In fact there is. I am currently filming a series of documentaries about Japanese artisans. In September, I am also going to film a long-form documentary about Japanese cultural holidays. That is currently in the planning phase. My dream is to become a movie director, so right now I am following my plan to film other kinds of movies besides the documentary genre. 

What would you say is your favorite genre of filmmaking and why? What directors do you look most to when telling your own stories? 

I like sci-fi and fantasy movies, and I’ve made some short films of those genres. I like them because real life problems and inner conflicts can be expressed through metaphors, hyperboles, and symbols in order to develop the plot. On top of that, it would be really cool to film all that along with robots and monsters. However, this time I am temporarily giving up my old hobbies, and instead used human interest stories that occur in everyday life, and filming with the concept of inspiring the audience to be kinder people. Perhaps it is because of the many small acts of kindness and tiny moments of happiness that has occurred in my life which made me change my style this time. 

The story is my own creation. In terms of blocking, framing, and cinematography, director Ridley Scott is a great influence to me. The style being at times simple, natural, and beautiful, and at times spectacular and magnificent.

Your film has such a specific style and voice. Is there another project in the works? 

In fact there is. I am currently filming a series of documentaries about Japanese artisans. In September, I am also going to film a long-form documentary about Japanese cultural holidays. That is currently in the planning phase. My dream is to become a movie director, so right now I am following my plan to film other kinds of movies besides the documentary genre.