Filmmaker and STORYHIVE Alum Mayumi Yoshida Talks Bringing “Akashi” From the Stage to the Big Screen

Helmed by writer, actor, director and TELUS STORYHIVE alum Mayumi Yoshida, Akashi’s success is no surprise to anyone who has seen the film–or knows Mayumi as an artist. It’s an emotionally rich, deeply resonant story that will leave you wanting to pick up the phone and call a relative you haven’t met in a while, or connect with friends and loved ones further away. 

Rooted in themes of artistic expression, family and identity, it tells the story of struggling visual artist Kana Yamamoto (played by Mayumi), who returns to Tokyo to attend the funeral of her grandmother 10 years after moving to Vancouver. As she digs into her grandmother’s past, she uncovers a family secret that prompts her to reconsider everything she thought she knew about love, duty and belonging.

Originally a play, then a TELUS STORYHIVE short (2017 Digital Shorts - Female Directors Edition), Akashi now returns in its next form: a feature-length film screening October 5 and 9 at the Vancouver International Film Festival. 

We had the pleasure of speaking with Mayumi ahead of the film’s world premiere to talk about the evolution of Akashi, what it was like stepping in front of—and behind—the camera and why the film has resonated so deeply with audiences. 

First of all, congratulations on Akashi being screened at VIFF this year! How do you feel?

Mayumi Yoshida: Thank you! It’s going to be amazing. It’s so nice to have it screen right here at home, and it’s our world premiere, too! I’m definitely nervous but I’m just so excited to share it with the world.

STORYHIVE: Akashi was first a play, then a short film and now it’s being made into a feature-length film! Can you tell us about the early days of the film?

Mayumi Yoshida: It was originally a play for the Vancouver Fringe Festival back in 2016. Back then, I honestly thought that would be the end of it. But during that time, the TELUS STORYHIVE Female Directors Edition started. There weren’t a lot of female directors submitting; Karen Lam, who I owe my career to, tagged me in a promo post for the program [on social media] and said, “You’re directing and acting in a play right now—why don’t you submit?”

I wasn’t sure I could do it, but there was a story I couldn’t fit into the play that I thought would make an interesting short. I couldn’t find a writer or director who was Japanese, so I decided to do it myself. 

STORYHIVE: Where did the original concept for the story come from?

Mayumi Yoshida: The seed goes back to 2011, when I had a conversation with my grandma after the 2011 [Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami]. That conversation, which appears in the play and the film, sparked the idea of the contrast between my generation and my grandma’s generation—how we often think the other has it better, but neither generation necessarily does, especially when it comes to love and committing to our emotions. My grandma’s story has been, for a long time, a story that I wanted to tell. 

Since then, I always thought I should write it, but I didn’t know if I could write or direct. Then I met amazing people through an event in Vancouver, including composer Ryūichi Sakamoto and actress Sayuri Yoshinaga. They told me that writing is the most important thing; if there’s a story you want to tell, you should tell it yourself. That inspired me to take my grandma’s story and turn it into a project.

STORYHIVE: Akashi was your directorial debut! What was it like turning on the camera for the first time?

Mayumi Yoshida: Since I didn’t go to film school, I watched a lot of YouTube videos to understand filmmaking and the role of a director better. Shout out to the channel, Every Frame a Painting by Taylor Ramos and Tony Zhou, for really being an inspiration! They’re also now some of our closest friends in Vancouver. Watching those videos really helped me out. 

I also had experience acting and directing plays. The transition into doing both didn’t feel like much of a stretch, since I grew up in Japan watching many directors and playwrights who were also actors. For Akashi, with a big ensemble, we rehearsed extensively, so blocking was smooth, and we could focus on the scene itself rather than lines or emotions. That process of figuring out a scene together during rehearsal was invaluable.

STORYHIVE: In the short film, there’s an interesting dialogue between Kana and her grandmother about Kana moving abroad for a career—something not common in her grandmother’s youth—and Kana’s own feelings about how complicated things can feel in this new “modern” world. What are your thoughts on this theme and why do you feel it resonates so much today?

Mayumi Yoshida: I’m very grateful to be living in an era where there have been several stories about our diaspora, stories about immigrating, moving into different spaces or starting new beginnings. And I love that I’m able to add a different version—my own take—on that experience.

As a first-generation immigrant, you’re not surrounded by your family. All your other family members are in another country, and you’re the only person here. That’s a very specific experience. That has been my life; my whole family is still in Japan. And I know they’re not going to immigrate here to live with me. I’m going to be living here with my found family.

It’s kind of a separate life that I live, and that’s okay. A lot of people probably resonate with that, because it’s not just about leaving your home country. Sometimes it’s about moving out of your own home and into a different city. All of those experiences, of becoming independent in a different place, of finding yourself while also not forgetting the ties back home, are really easy to resonate with.

I think that’s a universal theme, because everybody goes through something similar. That’s why I think Akashi is an interesting Canadian story because in Canada, so many people have moved here, immigrated here, for different reasons.

I just wanted to add another voice to that pool of voices—that is my own experience as a first-generation immigrant. So yeah, I think it transcends culture and differences, because there’s something very universal about the experience of trying to find yourself in a different place.

STORYHIVE: Absolutely, it really highlights being part of two worlds—the culture you grow up in and the one you integrate into.

Mayumi Yoshida: Exactly! That tension between tradition and modernity, home and new beginnings, is something many people, especially immigrants, relate to a lot. 

STORYHIVE: Let’s talk about the TELUS STORYHIVE Female Directors Edition. What was it like going through the program back in 2017 and what drew you to apply? 

Mayumi Yoshida: I’m so glad I joined that program. It really helped launch my directing journey. I made lasting friendships with my cohort, and it created a community that continues to collaborate and celebrate each other’s successes. I don’t think I would still be directing without that community, and I’m deeply grateful.

STORYHIVE: You recently taught a scene study workshop! What was that like, and what excites you about the future of Canadian filmmaking?

Mayumi Yoshida: The workshop aimed to support bilingual actors, Japanese and English-speaking. When I moved here, I didn’t have a Japanese community in the industry, so I wanted to create a space to help others. Teaching and learning from these classes is mutually enriching, and I see bilingualism as a superpower that brings unique perspectives to storytelling.

STORYHIVE: What advice would you give to someone interested in applying to a TELUS STORYHIVE program?

Mayumi Yoshida: Even if you feel unqualified, just shoot your shot. You never know what opportunities await. Each application refines your pitch and project, so keep trying and believe in yourself.

STORYHIVE: Any advice for aspiring female directors in general?

Mayumi Yoshida: Imposter syndrome is real, and many of us struggle with it. Trust your gut. If you want to tell a story, that’s reason enough! Find your community; they’ll support you through hard days, and you’ll support them, too. Protect and value that community; it’s essential.

STORYHIVE: Finally, what are you most excited for audiences to experience in the feature-length version of Akashi?

Mayumi Yoshida: I’m excited for viewers to watch it with their loved ones, like friends, family and parents. 

Also, this isn’t a spoiler, but a character from the short film makes a return in the feature-length version!

One of my cast members said it best: it’s a film that reminds people it’s never too late to check in or say hello. I hope audiences feel loved and gather the courage to reconnect with someone they haven’t spoken to in a while. 

Catch the feature-length film Akashi on October 5 at the Vancouver Playhouse and on October 9 at the Arts Club Granville Island Stage, at VIFF 2025. Get your tickets here.

Watch the short film on TELUS Optik TV Video on Demand channel 9, Stream+ and STORYHIVE’s YouTube channel.