Masashi Sogawa (born April 27, 1993) is a Japanese movie director and producer, also working in short movies, dramas, and commercials. In September 2020, his short movie “Midnight” was nominated for the Grand Prize at both the Kyoto International Movie Festival and the Shiga International Movie Festival. In September 2023, his short movie “Salty Blue” was nominated for the Grand Prize at the Shimokitazawa Film Festival and the Kansai Queer Film Festival. He is currently working as an assistant director under Koji Fukada and runs his own production company, Ten Rivers Film.
Salty Blue is screening at Nippon Connection
In stage play style, the 16-minute short begins in an empty bathhouse, where Mitsuki is intently smelling a piece of cloth, evidently taking pleasure in the act. It turns out the item belongs to her best friend, Umi, who soon arrives. The two have slipped away from a group blind date and, just before closing time, secretly entered the public bathhouse. As Umi talks once again about her love life, Mitsuki gazes at her longingly, making it quite clear she is secretly in love with her. As the conversation shifts to calcium, after they each drink a bottle of milk, and then to the sea, Mitsuki finally gathers the courage to open up.
Although one could say Masashi Sogawa presents a story about same-sex romance, “Salty Blue” is more concerned with exploring how difficult it can be to express feelings of love, particularly between people who are already close. At the same time, the story subtly emphasizes that same-sex relationships are no different from any other kind, in a smart and understated approach.
The way Sogawa portrays the dynamics between the two characters is equally compelling. Subtle glances from Umi and the gradually shrinking physical distance between them mirror the emotional shift taking place. DP Shunya Kume’s cinematography captures these nuances with artistry, adding a visually engaging layer to the narrative. The use of color enhances this aspect, while the exterior scene gives the story a more cinematic scope, freeing it from the spatial confines of the bathhouse. Further cinematic flair comes through a brief performance-like segment, which lends the short a music-video quality that also surfaces in the finale. Sogawa’s own editing allows these elements to flow naturally within a relatively brisk pace.
Reika Matsubara as Mitsuki and Yui Mine as Umi share excellent chemistry, with the moments they come closer standing out as the emotional highlight of the movie.
“Salty Blue” is a confident, visually rich short that communicates its message with both clarity and subtlety.
