After the success of “Mountain Plain Mountain” (2018), Japanese director Yu Araki sets a much quieter tone with his newest Short Film “Fuel”.
Fuel is screening at Japan Cuts
Set in Kushiro, the northeastern port city in Hokkaido, “Fuel” quietly observes an expert griller working at one of the oldest robatayaki (fireside cooking) restaurants in Japan. A patient and contemplative film that matches the unhurried pace of the traditional slow cooking method, its precise use of sound and image savors the beauty of this unique grilling process.
“Fuel” is 16 minutes of comfy Japanese food porn. In long detailed shots, we see moving molecules and the interplay between humans and nature. As the meat, vegetables, shellfish and many more transform due to the masterly craftsmanship of the chef using the power of the fire in front of our eyes, we get sucked into a meditative state of mind. For more than 10 minutes, we are caught in this culinary microcosmos until we are finally released to a broader scenery. The camera pans out and puts the cooking process in context. Customers and tables surround the silent cook, who seems to be in his own world. A character that could be straight out of a Tsai Ming-Liang movie.
Yu Araki stays true to his DIY concept by doing the editing and cinematography by himself. There is no camera movement and only a few angles. Nothing disturbs the gentle setting and the audience is locked down with this voyeuristic view. That's how the director pays respect to the skills of the chef. It is only at the beginning and the end that one can hear the external sound of a burning flame. The rest of the time there is just natural sound design, recorded with a highly sensitive microphone, which catches every minimal sound of the hearth.
Besides the plain view, there are short breakaways that present artifacts from Hokkaido and the Ainu culture. Yu Araki incorporates subtle hints and builds up a meta-level of cultural and social appreciation. Nevertheless, “Fuel” stays behind the fast-paced and creative “Mountain Plain Mountain”.
