There are encounters that do not end with the school day, but continue to live on in our thoughts afterward.
The one with Koji Fukada and Isabel Sandoval at the Tito Lucrezio Caro High School was one of those rare moments in which school stops being just a place of study and becomes a space for genuine exchange and personal growth.
The two directors, guests on the occasion of their films presented at the Asian Film Festival in Rome, gave us the opportunity to come into direct contact with their world. Different in culture and artistic paths, yet united by a deep sensitivity toward human emotions, they transformed what could have been a simple meeting into a meaningful experience.
We, the language students specializing in Japanese, took part in an open and sincere dialogue. It was not just a lesson, but a real exchange in which we felt heard and involved. From the very beginning, the atmosphere was different from usual: there was no distance between us and them.
We asked questions, driven not only by curiosity but also by the desire to better understand complex themes. The directors responded with great openness, sharing reflections that were authentic and never predictable.
We spoke about universal topics: love, difficult to define and never simple, and loneliness, which, as we were reminded, belongs to each of us in different forms.
It was particularly interesting to discover what lies behind the making of a film. Not only the final result, but the entire creative process: writing the screenplay, the birth of ideas, doubts, revisions. It became clear that cinema is not only artistic expression, but also commitment, perseverance, and hard work.
Fukada’s film Love on Trial addresses in a powerful way the relationship between love and society, showing how difficult it is to live one’s feelings freely.
Sandoval’s Moonglow, on the other hand, delicately explores themes of identity and loneliness through characters searching for their place in the world.
Another meaningful moment was hearing about the beginnings of their careers. Fukada explained that he invested his early earnings to realize his projects, without shortcuts. Sandoval, instead, spoke honestly about the difficulties she faced, leaving us with an encouraging message: to keep striving, even in the most challenging moments.
For us Japanese-language students, this meeting had an even deeper value: it was not just a cultural event, but a true bridge between different languages and cultures.
Our heartfelt thanks go to the Principal, Prof. Anna Proietti, to Prof. Serena Strianese, who organized the meeting with care and passion, and to the director of the Asian Film Festival, Antonio Termenini, for accepting our school’s invitation.
A fundamental contribution was also made by Isabella Lapalorcia and Kamuro Ayumi of the Japanese Cultural Institute in Italy, who, with professionalism and sensitivity, made communication possible, allowing everyone to fully understand each of director Fukada’s remarks.
As we left that classroom, we were no longer exactly the same. Not because we had all decided to pursue a career in cinema, but because we had gained a new awareness: that behind every dream there is sacrifice, that loneliness is universal, and that love is never simple.
Perhaps this is the true power of cinema: not only to tell stories, but to help us better understand ourselves and others.
And, for one day, that cinema truly entered our school.
