Emi Saito gained experience as an assistant director under numerous prominent filmmakers such as Takahisa Zeze, Masayuki Suo, Kiyoshi Kurosawa, and Yukiko Mishima. “One Night, Two Threads” is her second film as a director.
One Night, Two Threads is screening at Skip City International D-Cinema Festival
The film begins with Yujin, a woman in her 30s, roaming the bright-lighted, busy streets, being, however, completely lost in her own thoughts. Eventually, she decides to enter a small tavern, where she orders a tea, before she changes her order to a beer, to the amusement of another woman sitting in the bar, though in a psychological status completely different than Yujin’s. Soon, the two of them start talking, and although the second, who is revealed to be Aki, a copywriter, is almost too direct in her questions, Yujin seems to enjoy the company. Soon, Yujin starts sharing things about herself, and how she ended up in Japan from Taiwan, while, through flashbacks, we learn of her troubles with her husband, who takes both her and what she is doing completely for granted, as a phone call he does not even care to take away from her, reveals. Another flashback shows Aki’s relationship with a man through a trip in Okinawa. Eventually, the two women bond even more, over drinks inside a laundromat.
Emi Saito shoots a short that seems to present all the blights women can face in a male-dominated society, with Yujin mirroring the concept in the most eloquent fashion, as her husband takes her so much for granted, that everything she does are considered child play, while he is not even willing to consult with her about major decisions that also involve her. All of of these are depicted though an impressive montage, that highlights the issue in the most economic, but also visually impressive fashion.
The antithesis of the two women, which is mirrored in the way they speak, dress, and in general, conduct themselves, works quite well for the narrative. The concept of the meeting and its eventual result shows that, despite the hardships a woman can face, finding friends (of the same sex) can help significantly, even to the point of a complete change, as the ending scene of the short suggests.
Visually, the movie is rather impressive, with DP Asumi Sako capturing the streets with the signs, the label and Yujin in the middle elaborately, with the same applying to the framing of the laundromat scene, with both sequences placing the protagonists artfully in the center of the frame, in an approach that also has visual implications. The coloring, courtesy of Max Golomidov, is also excellent, as is the lighting. The editing by Tomoko Takano is equally impressive, with the highlight being the aforementioned montage. The lack of music also works quite well, with the dialogues and the sound of the busy streets providing a realistic “soundtrack”.
Yumi Shimizu as Yijun is excellent in highlighting her inner struggle and her angst, while her “broken” accent is quite convincing. Ayano Moriguchi has a completely different role, but is also very good in her cheerfulness.
“One Night, Two Threads” is an excellent short film that shows that Emi Saito has the potential of becoming a significant filmmaker in the future.
