The murmuring in the theater stopped. Then the audience exploded in applause.
We had just watched Suzu Hirose deliver an awe-inspiring performance in A Pale View of Hills at this year’s JAPAN CUTS Festival of New Japanese Film. As she stood on stage at Japan Society to receive the CUT ABOVE Award, she didn’t open with a polished speech. Instead, she made everyone laugh with a disarmingly honest comment about the surprisingly powerful toilets in New York City. The room burst into laughter. After answering very cerebral questions articulately about the film, with real warmth, she said she hoped to make it back to New York City again someday.
That mix of world-class talent and completely human charm is exactly why the moment felt so special — and why it holds real lessons for anyone serious about making films.
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