Movie fans are familiar with director commentary tracks on DVDs, which allow them to listen to the filmmaker explain how certain scenes were shot or give other interesting information. However, it is not often that people get to hear from the director of a film, live in the theater. But that is just what the audience could do for a special screening on Friday afternoon of the Japanese comedy Hibana (“Spark”).

The film, a Yoshimoto favorite that has screened at the fest before, was selected as an example of entertaining writing as part of the “Sakurazaka Film University” program held at the Sakurazaka Theatre. It is based on the novel by Naoki Matayoshi that won the prestigious Akutagawa Prize and sold over 3 million copies. It tells the story of an aspiring manzai comedian (Masaki Suda) who encounters a much more seasoned performer (Kenta Kiritani) and has to learn to deal with harsh realities while he develops his talent.

The MC for the event, Motohiro Takekawa of the comedy duo Buffalo Goro, asked director Itsuji Itao what he thought of commenting on his film live and unrehearsed. “This is going to be tough,” Itao said. Since the film is about aspiring comedians, the director was joined by young performers 2CHO-KENJYU, Aiseki Start and Yuriyan Retriever. They then took their microphones to the back row of the theater and the film started.

Itao gave insights into how the film was shaped, for example saying that music in the opening scene was cut because it didn’t create the correct atmosphere. Itao himself got his start as a comedian and expressed sympathy for the stand-up duo in the film, who perform for an audience that completely ignores them. He explained that he shot that scene on the first day of filming. For the last day of filming, he saved a scene which shows how much their skills have developed. He recalled that made the shoot highly emotional for everyone involved.

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