Santa Maria Kyoko

During our academic exchange in Tokyo, we were captivated by the way emotions are expressed and restrained in Japanese society. We observed Japanese couples, intrigued by the modesty of their relationship, their silences, and their glances. We envisioned their lives and dramas. Kyoko and Yutaro gradually emerged from these projections. We decided to build our melancholic comedy, Santa Maria Kyoko, around these two lovers in the midst of uncertainty.

We made the choice to place our characters on the other side of the world, on another island that we know well and for which we have great affection, Corsica.
Corsica is a territory with a very rugged character, inhabited by Mediterranean populations with a lively temperament. It seemed to us that the encounter between these two remote cultures, between this colourful island and our couple in full implosion, held obvious comedic and tragic promises. Our film unfolds around the idea that everyone meets, sniffs each other out, and observes with curiosity and apprehension. The Japanese look at Corsica, the Corsicans look at the Japanese, and we watch all these beautiful people trying to deal with the situation.