Monster

“much like with lukas dhont's close, hirokazu kore-eda's monster explores the innocence of a friendship between two young boys that borders on affectionate until they find themselves challenged by outside pressure from society to "conform." however, the scenes between the two boys alone - in which they remain insulated from the prejudice and judgment that picks at them at all other times - let their friendship flourish and show the promise a world free of hate where all love can blossom equally. i wanted the scenes my main characters shared in isolation as well to have a similar feeling.”

“i'd seen people say the ending alone makes this movie worth watching, and they were right. the "monster" changes with every chapter. in the end, everyone is a monster, and at the same time, no one is. everything just came together perfectly. i really loved the way kore-eda looks at people”