Agnès Troublé is the well-known fashion designer agnès b. Her directorial debut, "Je m'appelle Hmmm...," was selected as a special invitational film at the Tokyo FILMeX Film Festival, held from November 23rd to December 1st. It was also selected for the Horizonti section at the Venice International Film Festival, which aims to introduce new trends, and won the Child Protection Award at the Abu Dhabi International Film Festival for its work reaching out to vulnerable children. We spoke to Agnès Troublé, who visited Japan as director, about film.

For Agnès, film is as close to her heart and as dear to her heart as fashion. In 1997, she founded the film production company Love Streams Productions, which supports people passionate about filmmaking. "I've loved writing stories since I was a child, and I did very well in Japanese. I became a fashion designer by chance, but I've always wanted to make films." Indeed, even in her 15-minute runway shows, agnès b. creates stories that feel like scenes from a film. For her new collections, she takes her own photographs and turns them into short films to complete the image. Continuing this process taught her how to structure a story, frame it, and put together the footage, gradually bringing her closer to film. "My Name Is..." is a road movie about an 11-year-old girl who is forced into a relationship by her father and a truck driver who is disappointed with life, who meet and travel together. "The idea for the film came to me long before I founded Love Streams. And the theme of the film, repeated domestic violence against children, is a serious issue that can occur in any country in the world. I screened the film in several countries with different cultures and customs, and it resonated with people in every one of them," says agnès. The film will premiere in Venice, then in New York, Abu Dhabi, and Tokyo, and will be screened at film festivals in France, Moscow, and Hong Kong. In France, an association for protecting children affected by domestic violence, supported by actress Carole Bouquet, has offered to support the film. ■ Connection to Fashion Agnès uses the technique of collage, which involves layering several images, as a way of discussing fashion. This film also makes use of Agnès's unique lyrical style, collaging several scenes, including "the girl's family," "a journey with the driver," and, interspersed between the story, "a quiet landscape," "the driver's memories expressed in monochrome," "cityscapes with strong contrasts," and "a daydream-like scene where she meets a dancer in white makeup."

"Collaging is my way of putting things together. People who know me well say it's very much like you. I did everything myself, from the framework to filming and editing. It's a film I made just for me, without compromising on myself. I made it freely, without imposing any of the rules that are common in films."

It's the "Agnès style" down to the smallest detail. "The occupation section of my passport reads stylist. I've always loved styling, selecting and combining artwork, clothes, videos and photographs. The scene of a girl playing on the beach waving a red striped flag has the same feel as combining sky blue and red stripes in fashion. The flashy polka dot curtains attached to the lonely driver's lorry are made from shirting fabric that I used in a men's collection a few seasons ago. Those flashy polka dot curtains are something that a Scottish male driver would come up with."

Finally, when asked about his second work, he said, "It's a secret for now, but I have lots of ideas in my head," and with this comment hinting at what's next, he left his seat to head to the reception.