Right from the onset of their “Work in Progress” presentation at Annecy’s Pierre Lamy Theatre, it was evident that directors Sunao Katabuchi and Chie Uratani have a deep affection for history. The discussion, centered around their upcoming film “The Mourning Children: Nagiko and the Girls Wearing Tsurubami Black,” quickly delved into the intricate historical details they’ve meticulously incorporated in their work.
Manabu Otsuka, Producer and CEO of MAPPA, described the production as “heavily influenced by culture.” He further explained that creating studio Contrail for this project was crucial to satisfy their desire for thorough historical research, providing them with the opportunity to delve deeply. Additionally, Otsuka emphasized the involvement of numerous young artists in the film’s creation, expressing a wish to offer a learning and experimental environment for the junior staff.
The experts unveiled some initial clips from the movie, offering glimpses into Kyoto (originally known as Heian-kyō or “peaceful capital”) a millennium ago. These snapshots alternated between hardship-stricken local villages and affluent local rulers, both battling waves of illness. Tenderly depicted scenes of parents carrying sick children and laborers falling in the streets were juxtaposed with tranquil images of rural landscapes. Scenes of corpses being carried up a mountain to be cremated followed these serene vistas.
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The panelists premiered early snippets from the film, showcasing glimpses into Kyoto (previously known as Heian-kyō or “peaceful capital”) a thousand years ago. These glances oscillated between struggling rural settlements and prosperous local nobles, both under siege by outbreaks of disease. Gently portrayed scenes of people carrying feverish children or workers collapsing in the streets were contrasted with idyllic images of countryside beauty. Scenes of deceased bodies being transported up a mountain for cremation followed these peaceful landscapes.
The movie, crafted by MAPPA and startup studio Contrail, established exclusively for this purpose, falls within Katabuchi’s fascination about the contrast between the portrayal and reality of that era. Instead of being serene, it was plagued by diseases. In fact, the director revealed a detailed spreadsheet, his personal logbook recording every disease-related death during that period, including names and categorizing them according to each specific disease, with additional information on whether any unclaimed bodies were left in the streets.
The Mourning Children” explores the past by using the personal accounts written by Sei Shōnagon, who was a lady-in-waiting to Empress Teishi during her time at court. To create their characters, Katabuchi and his co-director (and spouse), Uratani, delved into footnotes, compared other works, and did further research based on these accounts.”
“‘The Mourning Children’ is a work that examines history through the writings of Sei Shōnagon, who served as a lady-in-waiting to Empress Teishi at court. Katabuchi and his co-director (and spouse), Uratani, studied footnotes, compared other sources, and did additional research to develop their characters using these texts.
In Katabuchi’s words, “When you delve into her writings, it becomes clear she was extremely meticulous with details, and those were quite tangible.” They leveraged this precision to create an immersive environment, even incorporating footnotes from “The Pillow Book” and related documents. Furthermore, they cross-referenced these references with astronomical records to pinpoint the precise moment of a lunar eclipse depicted in the movie.
The intricate details serve a purpose, and they were effectively conveyed in a vivid manner by the team. At the outset of the presentation, co-director Uratani strode onto the stage, concealed her face with a fan, then seated herself behind a miniature bamboo screen reminiscent of those used at the imperial court. This practice of veiling one’s face, as observed by Shōnagon during her time with ladies from the imperial court, according to the filmmakers, allowed the author to know many people without ever seeing their faces directly.
According to Katabuchi, this woman made a massive impact with her writings, but she was forced to keep herself concealed from public view. Writing served as a means for them to express their individuality and find a way to freely express themselves.
In ‘The Mourning Children’, our goal is to breathe life into these previously unseen characters by developing their visual personas, complete with unique attributes and clothing styles. This process involved thorough research, as we incorporated sketches from Uratani, character studies, and sessions on movement analysis, all while wearing costumes replicating the Heian period attire.
For quite some time, the concept of delving deeply into this subject had been swirling around in Katabuchi’s thoughts. During a Q&A session, he shared that the idea for his film was sparked as early as his 2009 production, “Mai Mai Miracle.” As a child, he had depicted Shōnagon in that movie and pondered about how her story might unfold as an adult amidst disease and court politics in ancient Kyoto. This introspection led him back to “The Pillow Book” where he discovered characters from it were also present in other reference materials.
The extensive nature of this research indicates that the production of “The Mourning Children” has taken a considerable amount of time, with its completion still not imminent. Upon being inquired about a potential release date, Katabuchi found it amusing to respond.
Despite the footage available so far, the film appears to be both artistically captivating and intricately detailed – this is a key aspect of Katabuchi and Uratani’s objective, which is to emphasize that Japanese animation serves as a means of discovery and exploration. By delving into the lives of women from a millennium ago, they aim to demonstrate that these historical figures are surprisingly relatable, making them feel closer to home than one might initially anticipate.
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2025-06-10 09:16