Suzu Hirose stuns in sleeveless dress, her endless smile steals the Yokohama Film Festival spotlight

Suzu Hirose and Ryo Yoshizawa can’t stop laughing

Holding a uniquely shaped trophy that looks like a wizard’s wand, actor Suzu Hirose (27) playfully struck a pose.

On February 1, the awards ceremony for the 47th Yokohama Film Festival was held at Kannai Hall in Yokohama. Hirose, who won the Best Actress award, took the stage. Among attendees mostly dressed in black, Hirose stood out as the only female in a beige, distinctive dress that revealed her beautiful décolletage, shining brightly as the sole female presence.

This year, she won the award for her performances in the films Yukite Kaeranu (directed by Yoshitaro Negishi) and Tooi Yamanami no Hikari (directed by Kei Ishikawa), both released last year.

“Yukite Kaeranu is a drama depicting the strange love triangle between poet Chuya Nakahara, literary critic Hideo Kobayashi, and the young actress Yasuko Hasegawa. Hirose plays a real-life actress loved by both men, who gradually loses her emotional balance in the middle of it all.

Tooi Yamanami no Hikari is based on the novel of the same name by Nobel laureate Kazuo Ishiguro. Set in postwar Nagasaki, it is a mystery story. Hirose plays a woman who moves from Nagasaki to England after the war and lives her life with strength. Yukite Kaeranu was officially screened in the ‘Big Screen Competition’ at the Rotterdam International Film Festival, and Tooi Yamanami no Hikari was featured in the ‘Un Certain Regard’ section at the 78th Cannes Film Festival, earning high acclaim overseas as well,” explained a film magazine reporter.

When receiving her trophy, Hirose commented:

“I often get to play women who lived through different eras rather than the present. Last year was truly stimulating, and I encountered many works that became extremely important to me. From now on, I want to continue improving so I can deliver a wide variety of expressions and works to everyone.”

She wore a fulfilled expression, but there was another reason her smile was so wide.

“Many of the winners for the film National Treasure were absent, so director Lee Sang-il (52), who won Best Director, had to receive the trophies on their behalf multiple times. Sitting down, then immediately standing to receive another trophy—Hirose seemed to find Lee’s movements hilarious and couldn’t stop laughing,” said the reporter.

Beside her, Ryo Yoshizawa seemed to catch the laughter, looking down as he tried to suppress his own laughter.

This year, Hirose will appear in the latest NODA・MAP stage production Fahrenheit 451—her first in two years under Hideki Noda (70). When asked about her enthusiasm for the performances starting in April, she said:

“There are 81 performances (laughs), so first I want to work hard on deciphering the script.”

Her expression remained full of smiles to the very end, promising another fulfilling year ahead.