Koji Fukada, a 45-year-old activist filmmaker, is leveraging his latest work, “Love on Trial,” to shed light on the troubling dynamics of the Japanese pop idol industry. Fukada is famously unfiltered in his criticism of sexual harassment and the power of manga adaptations over Japanese cinema. In his work, he uses creativity and imagination inspired by real experiences to tell stories that subvert oppressive systems. His film had its world premiere at Cannes and stars former popular idol Saito Kyoko. She embodies in her character a larger struggle that young performers face in the industry.
Fukada’s optimism for “Love on Trial” was sparked by a compelling piece of reportage. It explained the case of a Japanese idol who was sued by her management agency for violating a “no dating” clause. This incident exposed the absurd and extreme lengths management have gone to in order to police the personal lives of idols. Fukada continued to explore the topic. He was disturbed, angry even, by what these impacts on women’s freedom meant.
“I felt a deep discomfort, a real unease when I found out, and that’s what made me want to look into the subject a bit and then turn it into a screenplay,” – Koji Fukada.
In Love on Trial, Fukada offers a story that reflects this important real-world struggle. The story captures the struggle of a young player navigating difficult hurdles. It tackles head-on issues of sexism and misogyny and what it means to be a woman in today’s America. Fukada’s film points to how the idol industry is representative of the larger prejudices found throughout Japanese society.
Through Lisa, the director expresses a powerful contradiction that exists deep within the idol phenomenon. Yet, he argues, so many fans want these artists to represent virginity and passivity.
“We tend to believe that women must be pure, untouched and submissive,” – Koji Fukada.
Additionally, Fukada has interviewed current idols about their experiences. To his surprise, he discovered an astonishing diversity of views on the ban prohibiting intimate partnerships. Some view it as a major concern, others take it in stride as one of the job’s atypical dichotomies.
“I met idols who are still active. Some believe that the ban on romantic relationships is a problem. Others think it’s normal because it’s a very unusual kind of job,” – Koji Fukada.
Fukada expressed a desire for “Love on Trial” to initiate positive conversations in Japan regarding gender roles and personal freedom. His goal is to give an experience that provokes his audience into challenging their own views on love and discrimination in general.
“I tried to make a film that could bring out each person’s perception of gender, love, freedom, and issues of discrimination,” – Koji Fukada.
As he highlights the industry’s artificial constructs surrounding idols, Fukada emphasizes the consequences of romantic relationships on these performers’ careers.
“As soon as an idol appears to have a romantic relationship with someone, it’s well known that they lose a lot of popularity,” – Koji Fukada.
“Love on Trial” will be released in May and Fukada is optimistic that it will appeal to audiences, encouraging them to consider these important social issues.
Leave a Reply