Given a choice, this Japanese director picks watching movies over sleeping

Japanese filmmaker Takumi Saitoh aspires to bring his movies to all corners of the world. Photo: The Star/Sam Tham

Takumi Saitoh is every bit the enigmatic stranger archetype, dressed in black from head to toe for the interview, with half his face cast in shadow. But when he takes off his hat, out comes his smile. The light which seemed to emanate from him reached even the darkest corner of the room.

“I like watching movies more than I like sleeping,” the 36-year-old filmmaker and actor confides, speaking with an intensity that belies his youthful looks.