Golden Goblet Awards Competing Film｜YOKO: A Middle-aged Woman’s Brave Journey of Redemption

On June 16th, the Japanese film YOKO which has been nominated for the Golden Goblet Awards Main Competition of the 25th Shanghai International Film Festival, held a creators’ meeting. Producer Naoko Komuro, director Kazuyoshi Kumakiri, and lead actress Rinko Kikuchi shared their experiences during filming. Rinko Kikuchi, who was previously nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role in BABEL, delivers a powerful and touching performance, precisely portraying the struggles and redemption of a middle-aged woman, which resonates deeply with the audience.

Rinko Kikuchi Takes on a Challenging Road Trip Solo

YOKO is directed by renowned Osaka University of Arts “new wave” filmmaker Kazuyoshi Kumakiri. The film brings to the screen an original script that won the Tsutaya Creators’ Program, a well-known Japanese film project competition. The story revolves around YOKO, a 42-year-old single “otaku” woman. After receiving news of her estranged father’s passing, whom she hadn’t contacted for years due to his opposition to her pursuing her dreams, she embarks on a difficult 658-kilometer journey back to her hometown. This marks Rinko Kikuchi’s reunion with Kazuyoshi Kumakiri after 22 years since their collaboration in HOLE IN THE SKY. For her first leading role in a film, Rinko Kikuchi, who shares the same age as her character, skillfully tackles the challenging road trip solo with her touching acting. She vividly portrays a lonely, self-isolated soul struggling to save herself, earning high praise from director Inarritu, who directed BABEL, as a performance that directly “touches the audience’s hearts”.

At the meeting, Rinko Kikuchi openly shared that, as a woman in her forties, she could relate to YOKO in some ways. “Middle-aged actresses inevitably encounter difficulties and challenges in their careers. This was a great opportunity for me to learn with a beginner’s mindset. YOKO is very socially anxious. She cannot confront her past and is filled with uncertainty about the future. In my performance, I also try my best to find similar aspects within myself. However, regardless of the circumstances, we all must take a step forward. Even a small glimmer of hope can motivate us to move forward.”

A Healing Story of a Middle-aged Woman’s Brave Redemption

Producer Naoko Komuro said at the meeting that bringing the life of an ordinary woman in her forties to the big screen was fascinating. She hopes the film will resonate with audiences of different age groups. In fact, the world premiere of YOKO has received remarkable acclaim. The 658-kilometer road trip is also a brave journey of redemption for the middle-aged woman. As commented by Cui Chen, associate professor at the School of Media & Communication, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, “It’s a road film with minimal dialogue, but it feels very textured. It’s like watching a solid rock soften under the sunlight and transform into a tender snail.” Chen Xiaoda, board member of the Shanghai Film Critics Association and associate professor at the Shanghai Film Academy of Shanghai University, mentioned that in the film, YOKO finds herself in a predicament, forced to hitchhike with various people along the way, experiencing the warmth of human relationships and witnessing the different faces of the world. This process allows her, who was originally negative, reclusive, and unwilling to engage with the outside, to reconnect with the world, confront her inner self, and reconcile with her father, herself, and the past.

Director Kazuyoshi Kumakiri mentioned that a character like YOKO is not too distant from Chinese audiences. He said, “There are many women like her around us. I have two older sisters, and I see YOKO in them. They are braver than me in pursuing their dreams.”