Director Spotlight #3:

Dir. SAKAMOTO Yoshihiro

(House of Seasons)

Born in 1986 in Toyama Prefecture, Japan, Sakamoto joined a workshop in university called "Play Works," run by director Iwai Shunji, as a script juror. He then worked as an assistant director under the direction of Togashi Shin and O Mipo and, in 2011, launched a production company to produce commercials, PV, VP, and TV programs in Toyama and Tokyo. In his 2017 debut film, Pure White, he carefully depicted the subtleties of the main character Shinhaku's love as well as the beautiful scenery of his hometown in Toyama. Pure White won the Grand Prix for Emerging Directors at the 32nd Takasaki Film Festival, the Audience Award at the Nara International Film Festival, and the Fukui Film Festival. House of Seasons was also shot in Toyama over the course of one year, allowing Sakamoto to create a story that depicts the emotional growth of a young high school girl.