Tatino Encounters | Chie Hayakawa
- tatinofilmsweb
- Oct 3
- 7 min read
Updated: Oct 6
A journey through doubt, discovery, and deadlines - Chie Hayakawa on filmmaking, feedback, and finding joy in the process
Chie Hayakawa | Writer and director
Chie Hayakawa is a Japanese filmmaker with a deep eye for humanity and detail. She started out studying photography at the School of Visual Arts in New York before shifting to film, making her mark with her short Niagara (2014), which premiered at Festival de Cannes. Her debut feature Plan 75 (2022) received a Caméra d'Or Special Mention and went on to represent Japan at the Oscars. In 2025, her second feature Renoir premiered in the official competition at Cannes.
Was there a specific moment or experience that set you on the path to filmmaking?
I had wanted to become a filmmaker since I was 10 or 11 years old. I went to an art college in New York, where I decided to major in film, but I didn't speak fluent English at the time. I actually got a little scared after the first week and switched my major to photography instead. And as I was doing photography, this passion for wanting to pursue film stayed within me. I bought a video camera and was already filming things.
After I graduated from university, I thought, okay, I can be a student director in Japan or start at a new film school somewhere. That’s when I found out I was pregnant and had my baby. At that time, I had to drastically change my life plans. For the next 10 years, I was a parent and had a full-time job at the same time. It was a very difficult period for me because I wasn’t able to pursue my dreams. I simply didn’t have the time.
But inside me, there was always this strong passion to make my own films. It felt as if I had been living with this homework that I’d never gotten to start or finish. In my mid-30s, I thought, I can’t continue like this. I decided to enroll in a night school program for film, and I went there for about a year.
"I had wanted to become a filmmaker since I was 10 or 11. After studying photography and becoming a parent with a full-time job, I had to put my dreams on hold for nearly 10 years. the passion never left - it felt like unfinished homework. When I finally returned to film, all those detours became experiences that now give so much fuel to my filmmaking."
My graduation film Niagara was selected by La Cinéfondation (La Cinef) to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in 2014, and that’s how, slowly and gradually, the path to feature filmmaking started to reveal itself. But it still took eight years until I made my feature debut.
I feel very happy now because I’m in an environment where I can make my own films. Of course, there were so many detours I took before becoming a filmmaker, but the encounters with people and the experiences I had during that time give me so much fuel for my current filmmaking.
Left to right NIAGARA, PLAN 75 and RENOIR
That’s really inspiring. I was on a similar path myself. I started in film theory but quickly realized my passion was in writing and directing, so I switched after a year. Having being at Cannes and speaking with so many young filmmakers, I really feel how strong the pressure is to succeed quickly. But there’s no single path to success. We all move at our own pace, and that’s totally okay.
That’s so true. When you start young, you also often end up making films about being a teen or in your 20s, because that’s what you know. But some stories only become relatable with age and life experience.
Chie in Cannes after the world premiere of Renoir in competition at the festival
I’m really fascinated that you went to night school while juggling full-time work and being a young parent. What was the biggest challenge at that time, and what did you find most rewarding?
It was actually harder before, prior to going to film school. Because once I started, it required a lot of energy and time, but it galvanized me, it energized me. I was super healthy. Before that, I would often find myself fatigued and maybe needing a nap here and there. But once I started studying film, I think it came from the happiness of doing what you truly want. And for me, that was studying cinema. That gave me a lot of energy. Before I started, there was apprehension. It was bigger. But once it started, as I took a step forward, the doors opened wider and wider.
"When we thought Renoir was nearly finished, I showed it at First Cut Lab Japan and realized it needed much more work. I expected small tweaks, but the feedback called for major changes. It was tough, but incredibly helpful. That outside perspective is so valuable, even for experienced filmmakers. First Cut Lab understands the editing phase, and I now see this kind of support as essential to my process."
Looking back on your time with the First Cut Lab Japan and your work on second feature film Renoir, what did the lab offer you at that stage of the project? How did it influence your process, and what stood out the most from that experience?
At the point when we felt we had almost finished the editing, I showed the current cut to the three experts from the First Cut Lab. We had a session where they gave me their feedback. I thought the film was nearly done, but after that session, I realized we weren’t there at all. I was expecting the feedback to lead to subtle changes, but I quickly understood I would have to make drastic ones. It was very challenging after that, and it took quite some time to get the film to where it is now. It was my first experience with a lab that supports the editing process, but in terms of writing or story development, I had participated in similar labs before. I see this kind of support as a very refreshing and significant element, and it’s something I now believe should always be included in my process.
Chie presenting RENOIR in Paris
You’ve already made your mark as a filmmaker, but you’ve still taken part in initiatives like First Cut Lab and Pop Up Film Residency. What makes these programs worthwhile even at a more advanced stage in your career?
I don't think any filmmaker is ever 100% satisfied with their work. Every time you make a film, you learn something new, even as an experienced filmmaker. There's always some struggle but having people in these labs who can share their thoughts from a place that’s slightly removed, with a bit of distance, is incredibly helpful. With First Cut Lab, that support system is really in place. The program understands that particular phase of the process and brings in people who are experienced in giving feedback at that stage. I think First Cut Lab is really well thought out.
As part of your Pop Up Film Residency in Paris, what can you tell us about the project you’ve developped during the residency?
I'm still in the very early stages right now. I don't have a screenplay yet, just a concept for a sci-fi story. At the moment, it's still quite vague. Initially, I had hoped to complete the first draft during the three-week residency, but I thought it would be more meaningful to focus on meeting and talking with as many people as possible and holding sessions with French actors, rather than spending all my time in Paris hunched over my desk.
"At the Pop Up Film Residency in Paris, I had initially hoped to complete the first draft of my upcoming sci-fi project during this three-week time, but in the end, I thought it would be more meaningful to focus on meeting and talking with as many people as possible and holding sessions with French actors, rather than spending all my time in Paris hunched over my desk."
It was very meaningful to be able to brainstorm with the script advisor now that I am in the very early stages of planning, and I learned that it is important to thoroughly develop ideas and grasp the core and direction of the project before writing the first draft.
The most meaningful part of this residency was the acting session with the French actors. I realized that it was basically the same as directing Japanese actors, and I also discovered that ideas can be brought from improvisation. This experience made me want to try new methods when writing scripts.
Due to the rush of the Renoir release and attending film festivals, I was unable to make sufficient preparations beforehand for the residency, but I'm really glad that I was able to participate in the residency at this time. The flexibility of the program, which allowed me the freedom to do what I needed at the time, was very effective, and I was very grateful that VIPO and Pop Up Film Residency were always so accommodating when it came to schedule changes.
Chie in Paris, with Anna Ciennik her Pop Up mentor and her French actor, Jodie Ruth-Forest and Axel Alcala
Exploring such a deep topic must take a lot of emotional and creative energy. How do you usually approach writing? Is it a process that changes with each story, or do you have a go-to way of getting started?
I think my process is changing a bit. In the past, I usually started with the beginning of the story, but now I tend to begin with a plot and expand from there into a screenplay. I’m not sure I have a writing ritual, but I do prefer writing in restaurants or cafés. I like hearing people’s voices and watching their movements, being in that environment helps me focus. Sometimes I even find myself eavesdropping on conversations around me, which doesn’t distract me and can actually be a source of inspiration.
That said, I definitely need a deadline. Even when I’m applying to a workshop, the deadline itself really helps me stay on track.
Are there any themes or directions you haven’t explored yet but feel drawn to for future projects? Something you’re hoping to dive into down the line?
I'm interested in making a war-themed film. Not particularly in capturing the battlefield but I want to tell a story about the biggest mistake of mankind.
