The casting week in Germany was a big success. In total we need 88 Japanese and after the first casting week abroad we already found 43 appropriate persons that can have a role in the film. Male and female, young and old. Some will join as actors, some as extras.
All of a sudden I realized that not shooting in Japan has one big advantage, all the Japanese we’ll work with speak English!
After being in Frankfurt, Düsseldorf and Berlin we went back to Luxemburg for our first recce. The location scout had done a good job. Because lots of the money for the film comes from the Luxemburg film fund we are under the obligation to spend a huge amount in that country. This is the reason we shoot all the interiors there and not in Japan.
The old convent St. Francois seems to be the location. Here we can create several sets, like the kitchens, a bathhouse, a Japanese apartment with a tatami floor, a post office, a club and even a love hotel!
For the fans of my collection garden chairs I have some new ones from the convent.
Follow the entire making-of of my film on twitter @threesanna.