To celebrate the release of the film “Mag Mag,” a post-screening stage greeting was held at Shibuya HUMAX Cinema on Thursday, February 12. Director Yuriyan Retriever, making her directorial debut with this film, and lead actress Sara Minami took the stage together!
Welcomed by the applause of the audience who had just finished watching the film, Director Yuriyan and Minami appeared. Minami had been absent from the previous opening day stage greeting due to poor health, making this her first public appearance since the film’s release. As she began, “A few things happened…”, Director Yuriyan immediately cut in with, “She caused a scandal…”, only to be instantly stopped by the MC shouting “Please stop!”, enveloping the venue in laughter from the very start.
Minami then formally greeted the crowd with a smile: “I felt so sorry and frustrated that I couldn’t participate on the opening day, so I’m happy to finally be standing here today. It’s been a week since the release, and I’m so glad to see the feedback reaching us.” Regarding the reaction after the release, Director Yuriyan beamed, “I’ve received many DMs saying, ‘Don’t make Sara Minami do things like that!’ (Laughs). Thank you so much for all the messages!” The film’s official accounts have also been buzzing with comments like “I’ve never seen a Sara Minami like this” and “What are you making her do!”, becoming a hot topic since the premiere.
Minami plays Sanae, whose madness has left a deep impression on viewers. Minami reflected, “I talked with Yuriyan before we started filming, and we built the character through many conversations even after we began. When I first read the script, it wasn’t quite that extreme—I imagined something a bit more gentle (laughs). But the final form became ‘that,’ and even I was surprised (wry smile).” Director Yuriyan recalled, “As you know, she is a truly wonderful, beautiful, and lovely person. I wondered if it was even okay to ask her to do such things, but when I tentatively asked, ‘Excuse me, could you try this expression?’, instead of saying ‘Let me think about it,’ she’d just say, ‘Yes, I understand. I’ll try it.’ She accepted everything so readily that I got a bit carried away (laughs).”
The intensity of the musical scenes has also sparked great conversation. Director Yuriyan reportedly conveyed the imagery on the spot, building the scenes while choreographing them. Describing Sanae’s character, Director Yuriyan said, “She is my romantic style itself!” When she sought Minami’s agreement, saying “Sara-san, you’re like that too, right?”, Minami immediately denied it with a “No (laughs).” Director Yuriyan even mentioned hearing voices asking, “Is Yuriyan holding Sara Minami’s relatives or parents hostage?” Minami powerfully shared how they got through it: “Yuriyan-san told me, ‘You are my alter ego,’ and that’s what kept me going!”
Regarding Director Yuriyan’s set, Minami shared an anecdote: “Every morning before filming, we’d have something like a morning assembly where everyone would do a call-and-response.” Director Yuriyan then demonstrated the now-traditional call-and-response! “Mag Mag!” “Will be a big hit!” “Make it a big hit!” “Will win an Oscar!” “Make it win an Oscar!” “Box office revenue!” “500 trillion yen!” She performed the call-and-response in unison with the audience, finally closing with “Even if 100 people are on it…” “…it’s okay!” (a famous Japanese commercial reference), leaving the venue in stitches.
On the other hand, when asked about her thoughts on actress Sara Minami, Director Yuriyan offered high praise: “I have nothing but gratitude. She works with so many different directors; if it were me, I wouldn’t want to listen to a confusing person like myself. Yet, she gave it her heart and soul. She’s a person of great courage. She’s like a Bodhisattva… no, an altar.”
The two also answered questions from the audience. To the question, “What did you gain and lose by appearing in this film? Has it influenced your other works?”, Minami tilted her head, saying, “It’s hard to choose the right words…”, then stated clearly, “What I lost… is quite a lot (laughs).” On the other hand, she added with a smile, “But I gained so much. I truly feel glad I participated in this work. Breaking out of my shell in subsequent works has become easier after doing this movie. I just think, ‘Well, I did Mag Mag, after all’ (laughs).”
Director Yuriyan, who is currently based in the U.S., was asked about the possibility of filming abroad in the future. She revealed an overly bold ambition: “If the film industry and Sara Minami forgive me… I’d definitely like to direct ‘Zootopia 3’…”, causing the venue to erupt in laughter.
At the end of the greeting, Director Yuriyan and Minami led the audience in one last call-and-response: “Mag Mag!”, “Filmarks!”, “5.0!”—skillfully prompting the audience to give high ratings on review sites. The greeting concluded amidst great laughter.
The most insane revenge drama in the history of romance films, where “madness” and “pure love” are violently intertwined, “Mag Mag” is now playing in theaters nationwide!
Film “Mag Mag” Official Website: https://k2pic.com/film/mmo
Film “Mag Mag” Official X: https://x.com/mag_mag_pr
Film “Mag Mag” Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mag_mag_pr/