
Asahi: USC film school grad plays rural life, human frailties for laughs
Movies weren't the only thing director Naoko Ogigami learned about at film school in California while in her 20s. She also learned to be strong, original and to take on any challenge that comes her way..."I experienced a tremendous culture shock when I returned to Japan," Ogigami says. "In the United States, you have to be pretty forceful if you want your opinions listened to"..Hollywood was the only option that came to mind when Ogigami decided to try to become a film director...she found that life in a different country wasn't as easy as she expected. "First, there was the language problem. I'm still hopeless at speaking English," she says. "Then there was this very harsh competitive environment in which people didn't hesitate to stab their colleagues in the back given half a chance."
Midnight Eye Review of "Barber Yoshino"