It's better to face ups and downs than lead a perfect but boring life, said Japanese director Tetsuya Nakashima and singer-cum-actress Miki Nakatani.
They were in Hong Kong recently to promote their new movie Memories of Matsuko.
The film is a modern fairy tale adapted from a Japanese novel by Muneki Yamada. It's an unusual account of an eccentric woman named Matsuko.
The movie starts as Matsuko is found dead in a park. Her nephew - a bored and aimless university student - has to clean up her messy apartment.
The young man slowly learns about his aunt. Despite difficult circumstances, her sad but amazing life was full of hopes and dreams.
Matsuko lost her job, reputation, friends and boyfriends. She even spent time in prison, but she never gave up.