What topic do you discuss in your script? And why?
“The Night of Elysium” is about young disco dancers in Japan. The main character, Shoko Kamiya, is an aspiring dancer who wishes to make a career out of her love, dancing. In the disco Elysium, dancing contests are held weekly, where top dancers employed by the disco compete for the top spot.
The motivation for writing this script was half nostalgy and half love of dancing. I was never a professional dancer but was very fond of dancing when it was a boom in the late 70s and early 80s. Although it may not be obvious, Japan has some of the best club dancers in the world, in my view. And I wanted to showcase them through a major movie. If I can turn this script into a movie, I am sure many will be impressed not only by the storyline but by the cast of characters, who are mostly young dancers, as well.
How do people feel after reading your script?
I hope people will feel moved and emotionally charged as though they have just witnessed a major sporting event, where top athletes compete to be the best they can be.
Do you think that films can change people for the better or for the worse?
Films in general are positive driving force in life, in my view. Most film makers are artists dedicated to their craft, ready to entertain and sometimes educate people about social issues that need to be addressed. My life certainly has changed for the better more than once due to movies, and I am sure many have similar experiences.
According to 3-act dramaturgy, how would you define your story?
Act 1: Shoko Kamiya, with her sheer determination and impressive dancing routines, becomes a member of a dancing team at Elysium.
Act 2: Shoko Kamiya is pitted against Nana Ohse, who is a virtual queen of Elysium, as the management thinks the competition between Shoko and Nana will create a major attraction for the disco.
Act 3: Competition between Shoko and Nana intensifies, as they dance to different tunes each week, with an unexpected ending (I will not spew out a spoiler here).
How does the main character develop?
The 21-year-old protagonist, Shoko, is young, vibrant, and full of zest. Initially, she is apprehensive about her role as she was cast against the queen of Elysium, Nana, who is physically attractive, more experienced and confident. As their rivalry develops, however, Shoko turns a more willing participant, intent on out-dancing Nana each week along the way. Eventually, the rivalry leads to mutual respect and reconciliation between Shoko and Nana.
What actors do you imagine in your project (typologically)?
Most of the actresses and actors in this movie need to be young and energetic. But more importantly, they must be accomplished dancers, as variety of dances performed by Shoko and Nana are the key part of this film.
Why do you think your script should attract a director?
The story itself is rather simple, with a clear protagonist and antagonist, but since dances are the important features of this film, it should offer a special challenge to directors as the movie must be entertaining, first and foremost, and the dancers need to be shown in their most brilliant and often sexy moments.
A director will have an opportunity to revive the golden age of disco and deliver it worldwide to a new generation of audience. Additionally, I believe this movie would be fun to make, as it is full of energy and largely centered around the art of dancing in tune with music that once reached the pinnacle of the pop culture.
At which festivals did you receive the award?
This screenplay received the Best Feature Screenplay Award at Tokyo Screenplay Awards in 2025, and was also selected by Los Angeles International Screenplay Awards in 2023.
Which screenwriters are your favorite and why?
I learned script writing at the University of Texas at Austin film school from Edward Dmytryk, who directed movies such as “The Caine Mutiny (1954),” “The Raintree County (1957),” and “The Young Lions (1958).” I am not certain how many of his movies he actually wrote scripts for, but I learned a great deal from him.
A couple of the screenwriters that stand out in my mind are Dalton Trumbo, who wrote “Roman Holiday (1953)” and “Papillon (1973)” among others, and Shinobu Hashimoto, who wrote “Seven Samurai (1954)” with Akira Kurosawa. I love them both, since the scripts they wrote are wholesome is texture while rooted in solid realism at the same time.
About which topics are your screenplays?
Topis for my screenplays are quite diverse. “The Night of Elysium” may be deemed an homage to the disco generation, while “Concerto,” which has won the Best Japan Feature Screenplay Award also at the Tokyo Screenplay Awards, can be said an homage to classical music. “Galliard,” which was awarded the Best Crime Screenplay Award also at Tokyo Screenplay Awards, on the other hand, is a crime mystery about a missing high school student. I write my screenplays both in English as well as in Japanese so that the movies can be made in both languages.
What motivates you the most to write screenplays?
Screenplays are blueprints for movies, and therefore, what motivates me to write screenplays is synonymous to what motives me to see my screenplays transformed into movies. In movies, what is important is to educate the viewers while entertaining them at the same time, in my view. Education does not mean being preachy or pedantic but means to shed light on perhaps different aspects of life that may not be otherwise experienced except through watching movies. If people’s lives are enriched in some way by watching movies I help to make, I will be a very happy individual.
What are your plans for your future career?
I consider writing screenplays as a step toward ultimately directing movies. But for now, I will view myself fortunate if someone is interested in producing movies based on my screenplays.
