INTERVIEW | 'The Height of the Coconut Trees' Director Du Jie on Storytelling, Ghosts, and Moving to Japan

There is so much going on in Du Jie's debut feature The Height of the Coconut Trees. With so much to unpack, the hope going into an interview with the Japan-based Chinese filmmaker was that he'd arrive ready to explain everything. The film by Du Jie wraps itself around the lives of people whose paths cross due to a suicide. One young man (Soichiro Tanaka) is left to deal with the death of his partner (and question whether or not she is really gone). Meanwhile, a young woman (Minami Ohba), dealing with a breakup, wonders where fate might lead her once she is drawn into Tanaka's world.

*Du Jie, director of "The Height of the Coconut Trees." (Courtesy of BIFF)*

Connecting Through Film

It turned out there was no need to worry about the interview. Du arrived in a room on the sidelines of the 29th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), more than eager to talk about the hows and whys of his film. The Height of the Coconut Trees was in the running for BIFF's top New Currents award for first- or second-time Asian filmmakers.

"Making a movie has allowed me to meet so many interesting people and audiences. I think the experience is really great," said Du as the conversation bounced enthusiastically between him and the interviewers with the help of an interpreter.

"Meeting you and having this conversation are also part of the filmmaking process. Whether the reaction [to my film] is good or bad, many people have watched it," he explained. "That makes the whole experience richer and more interesting."

From Cinematography to Directing

First, we talked about how Du turned his attention to directing and writing what is a distinctly arthouse film. Du is one of China's most acclaimed cinematographers. He worked on commercial hits such as the Detective Chinatown franchise ($1.2 billion USD from the box office). He also shared how he came to make Japan his new home.

"I first went to Japan for a change of scenery," Du explained. "I was preparing to start a company there and filming some videos I wanted to make but [couldn't] because of the pandemic. I got stuck there and started filming and writing stuff, just staying there longer and longer. It ended up feeling a bit like destiny."

He added, "I had actually wanted to make films for a long time." Du had written some scripts back in China but gave up when he felt he couldn't make the films he envisioned. "I went to Japan with the idea of earning money in China and then doing something I love in Japan," he said.

*"The Height of the Coconut Trees" by Du Jie. (Courtesy of BIFF)*

Inspiration Behind the Film

Next, the conversation moved to the film itself. The idea for the story came from the tale of a friend of a friend, who had been mistaken for a would-be suicide while on holiday. People rushed to help stop what they all thought was going to happen.

It was the type of tale Du wanted to explore. Since moving to Japan, he has found what he called a "freedom of storytelling," which he has truly embraced in The Height of the Coconut Trees.

"Actually, it feels quite liberating," he said. "This story is somewhat like a documentary with a starting point [the friend-of-a-friend's story] that just kept developing, with many things gradually coming together. So, the process was more like shooting a way of living, a lifestyle, which is very different to what I am used to."

The narrative in The Height of the Coconut Trees jumps through time, bouncing between the characters' past and current lives. It even flirts with notions of an afterworld that shares space with the real world.

Philosophical Questions

As our time comes to an end, Du was asked for his opinion on such matters as ghosts and the afterlife.

"I don't really know how to talk about this topic. I feel it's a bit too complicated," Due said, before proceeding to tell us a story:

"Yesterday, I was talking with someone who shared a story about how she thought her [deceased] father was now a hawk. She was by the seaside, when she noticed a hawk flying towards her, circling. She felt like the hawk was communicating with her — like it was her dad."

Due continued, "Now, I don't actually believe in ghosts or really believe that there are ghosts. But I feel like there should be ghosts. After I heard that story, I wanted to cry."

Du's answer did to us what his film is designed to do — it leaves the audience thinking.

"I am indeed very interested in these topics, but I'm not sure I'm capable of answering questions about them," Du reflected. "I think my strength lies in telling a story that resonates with people and brings them comfort. But I can't tell others how to deal with or guide them through [such topics]."

As for whether the film will be popular or successful? "That lies in the hands of the god of film," Du said.

Author: Mathew Scott