In the 1970s, there was a woman who took on the world alone, using her Japanese identity as a weapon.
Sayoko Yamaguchi. Her bewitchingly enigmatic appearance, with black hair and almond eyes, belied the provocative and passionate spirit within.
She became the muse of top creators, stimulating their imagination, and was always ahead of the times. However, her true nature remained mysterious.
Eight years after Sayoko Yamaguchi’s death, her vast collection of clothes, accessories, and other personal effects that were dear to her was opened up for the first time. As a model, she did not merely wear clothes; she used them to create something unique. Now, the time that stopped for Sayoko Yamaguchi has started moving again, allowing us at last to gain an insight into the woman who remained a mystery during her lifetime. In this film, her friend, director Takako Matsumoto, takes us on a journey in search of Sayoko Yamaguchi, incorporating testimonials from her close friends and images of the belongings she left behind.
Director: Takako Matsumoto
Her film project’s selection at the 6th PIA Film Festival triggered her entry into the world of film. She was involved in setting up Japan’s first regular TV program about fashion, Fashion Tsushin, and served as its director. She first got to know Sayoko Yamaguchi while filming the 1987 Sayoko Yamaguchi Special for Fashion Tsushin, and their friendship deepened while they were making World Journey of the Heart: The Eyes of a Young Berber Girl and The Antwerp Royal Academy of Fine Arts: How Top Fashion Designers are Created for NHK, remaining friends until Yamaguchi’s death. In addition to her film Near Equal Kusama Yayoi – I Adore Myself (released in theatres in 2008), Matsumoto has won many awards for her TV documentaries.
Junko Nakamura
Line Producer
COMPASS INC.
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Theater Image Forum
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