Mayumi Yoshida on her debut feature, 'Akashi,' and the power that comes from existing in the in between

Mayumi Yoshida is THE multi-hyphenate filmmaker you need to watch. As writer, director, producer, and actor for her debut feature, Akashi, Yoshida's world premiere at VIFF 2025 was met with sold out audiences, celebrating her story tackling themes of identity, class struggle, and artistic aspiration.In this episode of the VIFF Podcast, we sit down with Yoshida to discuss her Japanese heritage, identity as an immigrant, and why existing in the in between can give you the greatest superpower of all. Plus, we dive into what made the celebrated filmmaker fall in love with cinema to begin with, starting with a formative screening of Titanic at the age of 8 in Brussels, Belgium.This episode was recorded during the 2025 Vancouver International Film Festival.This podcast is brought to you by the Vancouver International Film Festival.Presented on the traditional and unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) nations.