Biography
Born in 1990 in Gunma Prefecture, Kasho’s debut short film “Our Future”, inspired by his own experiences as a transgender man in Japan, won the Special Jury Prize at the Pia Film Festival and was highly acclaimed at international festivals. A winner of the Filmmex New Director Award in 2019, he directed his first commercial feature “The World for the Two of Us”, a story spanning a decade in the lives of transgender and cisgender people, which was widely released in Japan in 2022. He subsequently won the Most Promising New Talent Award at the 2022 Osaka Asian Film Festival with his feature film “Angry Son”. His latest film “Blue Boy Trial”, based on a true story about a trial over gender reassignment surgery in 1960s, premieres at the Tokyo International Film Festival before its Japanese theatrical release in November 2025.
Kasho studied film under director Yoshitaro Negishi and screenwriter Masato Kato in college.
Filmography
[Features]
“Blue Boy Trial” (2025)
“Angry Son” (2022)
“The World for the Two of Us” (2022)
“Umi e iku hanashi” (2017)
“Aoshi shigure” (2013)
“Our Future” (2011)
[TV]
“Our Dining Table” (2023)
Find them on social media
Instagram @ Kasho_Iizuka
X @Kasho_Iizuka
Questions for Kasho Iizuka
1. What is the first film in your memory?
“Rex: A Dinosaur’s Story”
2. What are some of your favorite films?
“Princess Mononoke”
“The Tale of the Princess Kaguya”
“Billy Elliot”
“Blue is the Warmest Color”
The “Lord of the Rings” trilogy
3. Which creators have you been inspired by or influenced by?
Director Hayao Miyazaki
4. What are the films that shook your world or changed your life?
“Princess Mononoke”
When I watched this film in second grade, I decided that I want to become a film director.
5. Are there any Japanese directors of your generation you are inspired by?
None specific domestically, but internationally, I’ve consistently followed the work of Xavier Dolan.
Specifically, I’ve paid attention to how he reflects his own identity as a sexual minority in his work, or on the contrary, how he views himself objectively. As he’s gotten older and his works more mature, the distance between himself and his work has grown in a positive way—that aspect has been very instructive.
6. Your 10 best Japanese films?
“Princess Mononoke”
“The Tale of the Princess Kaguya”
“Ikiru”
“Seven Samurai”
“Stray Dog”
“The Burmese Harp”
“Bright Future (Akarui Mirai)”
“Dark Water”
“Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence”
“Yearning”
7. Where do you think your passion for filmmaking comes from?
I dislike seeing people fight. I want to see a peaceful world where everyone understands each other, at least within the confines of film. And I make films driven by the desire to realize that.
8. What are you interested in outside of films and filmmaking?
I have many interests. My current hobbies are boxing, motorcycles, volleyball, and Awa Odori dancing.
9. Where’s your happy place? When do you feel most relaxed?
I find the greatest peace when I’m in water.
10. What are the customs or phenomena that are unique to Japan that you want other people to know?
For better or worse, Japanese people avoid conflict. We’re a people who value harmony. In a way, the Japanese sensibility might be something to learn from if people want to live without fighting and in peace.
11. Where would you be in 10 years?
I’d like to be living a relaxed life in an area with beautiful water.
If my films are needed and wanted in the world, I think I’d still be making films.
ABOUT YOUR FILM “ANGRY SON“
1. What is your favorite moment in the film? (without spoilers)
There’s a scene where the protagonist, Jungo, circles around and around on his bicycle. Why he’s circling is something you’ll have to see for yourself…
2. Why did you decide to write/make this film?
It started with an idea sparked from a friend of mine who was raised by a Filipino mother. As I interviewed Filipinos living in Japan and second-generation individuals, I became aware of the issues they face, and wanted to make this film.
3. Were there any films that you watched as a reference or a source of inspiration?
I watched “Ilo Ilo.” Set in Singapore in 1997, it’s a story about a Filipino maid and a young boy from the family connecting emotionally.
4. Was there any music you were listening to or book you were reading while you were making this film?
I read the book “The Sociology of Filipina Pub Women.”
Also, during filming, I often listened to songs by the Canadian indie band Pantayo.
This band has five Filipino-Canadian women, continuously releasing music blending traditional Filipino music with EDM.
5. Any behind-the-scenes anecdotes or episodes you’d like to share?
We’ve had several opportunities to screen the film in the Philippines.
During one of those screenings, a student who had lived in Japan came to me and said, “I finally found a film that speaks for me.” That moment made me truly happy I made this film.
Message to our audience about “Angry Son”
I can’t help but feel drawn to the existence of people in this world who struggle to find their place. My own identity as a transgender person has likely helped shape this. The protagonist of this film is a young man with a Filipino mother and a Japanese father. Surprisingly little known, many Filipino women who came to Japan as migrant workers have blended into daily life here. Their children, too, live in this country. This film depicts a son’s gaze toward his mother, who comes from a different culture, and is a story about “the problem of love.” If watching this film helps someone notice the love that had always been close to them… I share this film with that wish in mind.