On November 21st, director Yamada Yoji appeared on stage at Marunouchi Piccadilly (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo) to greet the audience on the opening day of the film "Tokyo Taxi," which was released on the same day, along with the main cast, including lead actress Chieko Baisho and Takuya Kimura.
When asked by the moderator what kind of film this is, director Yamada's 91st, turned out to be, he replied, "It's been the same since my first film, but I don't know what kind of film I've made. I worked hard on it, but as a creator, I have no idea whether it's a film that will make people laugh, or a film that will tug at your heartstrings. I try my best to 'accurately portray' people, but I don't know whether it will be moving. I direct with the belief that it shouldn't be possible to know. It's only when the film is screened and the audience says, 'It was interesting' or 'It made me cry' that I can judge it's worthwhile."
Looking out at the packed audience, he said, "I'm feeling very nervous right now, and I feel like a defendant receiving a verdict (laughs)." The audience gave him a huge round of applause, and he smiled and said, "I'm happy even if it's just flattery."
Based on the French film "Paris Taxi" (2022), this work is a human drama set in Tokyo depicting the "joys of life." The "one-day journey" of taxi driver Koji Usami (played by Kimura) and Sumire Takano (played by Baisho), who is heading to a nursing home, has a major impact on the hearts and lives of the two people who meet by chance.
