Concept

Twenty years have passed since I settled in Okinawa. During that time, I witnessed the unique cultural richness of this island, born from ancient traditions deeply rooted in the daily lives of the archipelago's inhabitants.

The desire to make a film about these “guardians of traditions” was born during the COVID-19 pandemic. With Tomoya Ogoshi, the film's producer, we went to meet people in the village of Ginoza who strive to keep culture alive by building bridges between generations.

I was moved by the elders' desire to pass on the island's cultural heritage to the younger generation. Each person has their own way of nurturing their culture — some strictly follow traditions, while others try to create new foundations by mixing old and new.

That is why I chose to title the film “UMUI”, a word from the Okinawan language that can mean, depending on context: feeling, emotion, thought, spirit, love...