It has been revealed that actress Minami Hamabe and popular group Snow Man member Ren Meguro will star together for the first time in the film "Hokusoku, Okamire Desu" (directed by Takahiro Miki). The human story revolves around a heroine who gets a job as an intern at a funeral company and a strict funeral planner who works as her instructor, teaming up to hold the "best funeral possible."
The original work is the winner of the Shogakukan Bunko Novel Award and is part of the "Hokusoku, Okamire Desu" series (Shogakukan Bunko), which began with Amane Nagatsuki's debut novel "Hokusoku, Okamire Desu." After failing every job hunt, new funeral planner Misora Shimizu (Hamabe) joins the funeral company Bando Kaikan as an intern, and spends her days feeling discouraged by the strict guidance she receives from her trainer Reiji Urushibara (Meguro).
However, she soon begins to admire his thoughtfulness and manners, as he is always there for the bereaved family and the deceased, and the way he gently announces "We will say goodbye soon" when the funeral procession begins. "What is a funeral that is acceptable not only to the bereaved family but also to the deceased?" As she faces this question together with Urushibara, Misora decides to follow in his footsteps and become a funeral planner herself. And she comes to understand the true meaning behind the words "We will say goodbye soon"...
Hamabe commented, "I have only ever faced death through acting, so when I first received the offer I was a little worried about whether I could act, but Director Miki had written me a letter beforehand saying, 'I want you to cherish the feelings you have when facing the bereaved family and the deceased,' so I deliberately didn't think about it and instead focused on my own emotions when acting." She also said, "I think that 'farewells' are something that are inevitable, close to us, and the saddest thing, but at the same time, they are also positive and warm. I think this is a work that makes you want to cherish the people around you. I hope you will look forward to it."
Meguro, who read the original novel before filming, said, "While I feel sad because the story is based on the theme of farewell, there are also hopeful parts, and I thought the idea of 'we've said goodbye, but maybe we'll meet again someday in the future' was wonderful. Through the funeral, this film makes the parting with loved ones, which can often feel extraordinary, feel even more real. Even the time we spend every day is precious and will never come back. Rather than saying, 'Pay attention to this part of the movie,' I hope that after watching it, you will pay attention to your own future life. I'm sure it will change something, such as the way you treat people."
◇Comment from Minami Hamabe
I have only ever faced death head-on through acting, so when I first received the offer I was a little worried about whether I would be able to act, but Director Miki had written me in advance saying, "I want you to cherish the feelings you have when facing the bereaved family and the deceased," so I decided not to be conscious of it and instead focused on my own emotions when acting.
I have worked with the director on many films and music videos since my debut, and he is a very warm-hearted person, and I felt that this work was made possible by the director's kindness. Also, this was my first time acting with Meguro-san, but he was a gentleman on set, and his demeanor conveyed sincerity. Since we played boss and subordinate roles, we didn't have many opportunities to talk, but he was always watching over us on set, and I felt at ease. He's a man of few words but warm-hearted, which made him a perfect fit for Urushibara-san. I'm glad I got to work with him this time.
"Farewell" is something that is inevitable, familiar, and the saddest thing, but at the same time, I think it is also something positive and warm. I think this is a work that makes you want to cherish the people around you. I hope you will look forward to it.
◇ Comment from Ren Meguro
I read the original work in advance, and while I found it sad that it was based on the theme of "farewell," there were also parts that gave me hope, and I thought the idea that "we may have said goodbye, but we may be able to meet again someday in the future" was a wonderful one.
This was my first time working with Director Miki, but he was a very calm person, and I think I was supported by the director's atmosphere on set. Even when I wanted to concentrate, rather than communicating with words, I was able to act freely in the atmosphere created by the director. Hamabe-san, who I also co-starred with for the first time, left me with the impression that she was someone who communicated well with the director and carefully created her role, and I was able to empathize with her very well, and I think that thanks to Hamabe-san, the relationship between Urushibara and Misora was well-established.
This film makes the parting with a loved one, which tends to feel extraordinary, feel more real through a funeral. Even the time we spend every day is precious and will never come back. Rather than saying "pay attention to this part of the film," I hope that after watching it, you will pay attention to your own future life. I'm sure it will change something about the way you treat people.
◇Comment from Director Takahiro Miki
The death depicted in this film, "Soon, We'll Say Goodbye," is a farewell to a loved one that can happen to anyone. It could happen decades from now, or it could happen tomorrow.
But when that time comes, will I be able to see that person off without any regrets? When I read the original novel, it made me realize the importance of empathizing with death, something that we usually unconsciously shy away from as something to be abhorred.
There is a Latin phrase, memento mori, which means "remember death." It means that by being aware of death, we can cherish our current life even more, but I feel that this phrase applies not only to our own death but also to the death of those around us. This is an important movie that was made while thinking about the separations that not only the cast but all the staff members had experienced in the past and the separations that will come someday.
I would be happy if each audience member who watches the film feels a sense of memento mori in their own way.
◇Comment from Amane Nagatsuki, the original author
I couldn't be happier that my debut work has been adapted into a movie. It's like a dream come true that two of today's most charming actors, Hamabe-san and Meguro-san, will be playing Misora and Urushibara.
The tense atmosphere I felt during the filming visit reminded me of the solemn atmosphere of a funeral hall. I am looking forward to the funeral scene, one of the highlights of this film, and I realized that the director and staff have made it very carefully.
Parting with loved ones is inevitable for everyone. This wonderful script delves into areas that could not be fully conveyed in the original work, and I am happy that we will be able to deliver this to more people.
◇ Comment from Producer Kei Haruna
Although it is a story about mourning a lost life, there is no sad ending.
"The fact of death never changes, but the way we perceive it can change." I was impressed by the theme of this book when I read it at the beginning of 2019, and invited Director Miki to make it into a movie. I asked Okada to write the script, asking him to gracefully depict the master and disciple teaming up to face a funeral with all their heart.
"Even if a loved one dies, the bereaved family must continue living." How can they organize their feelings and put an end to the funeral so they can move forward into the future? Misora and Urushibara will find the answer.
Transforming the sadness of death into compassion for the deceased. Please come to the theater and experience the miraculous "time of seeing off" that the two of them bring. Just in case, please bring a towel or handkerchief with you.
◇ Comment from Producer Yu Inagaki
In making this live-action film, we spoke to many funeral planners and used their stories in the making of the film. What I felt about them was their sincerity in supporting the bereaved families and the deceased, their pride in their profession as funeral planners, and their earnest, positive attitude in approaching their work every day.
As for casting, when I was looking for someone who could honestly express this "sincerity" and "sincerity" to play the role, the first people who came to mind were Hamabe Minami and Ren Meguro.
And through filming, I realized that my hunch was not wrong at all. The two have appeared in many movies and dramas up to now, but I hope that you will enjoy the new charms of Hamabe-san and Meguro-san that can only be seen in this film.
I would be delighted if this film would provide the audience with an opportunity to think, through Misora and Urushibara, about what it means to say goodbye to someone you love.
