"I pray for peaceful days in your life." Peccadillo Pictures in the UK has debuted a new trailer for the UK release of a Japanese indie film titled West North West, from filmmaker Takuro Nakamura. This one has taken years to be released, after originally premiered in 2015 at the Busan Film Festival. It already opened in Japan in 2018 and is finally out on VOD to watch in the UK (but still doesn't have a US distributor). Kei (Hanae Kan) works at a cocktail bar, while Ai (Yûka Yamauchi) is a model. Fearing she'll be ostracized by society, Kei chooses not to admit her sexual orientation to anyone, and becomes distressed and lonely. One day, Kei gets close to Naima (Sahel Rosa), an Iranian student studying in Japan. Ai quickly becomes jealous of them and their budding relationship. All three are embarrassed & insecure but eventually they begin to share emotions. Set in modern day Japan,...
- 11/9/2021
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Although the title seems rather strange, another extreme manifestation of Japanese imagination, it turns out the occult was an aspect of Bolshevism, represented by both Gleb Bokii, a paranormal investigator who became a leading member of the Cheka, the first Soviet secret police and extensively in literature, as Marina Aptekmna’s paper highlights. In this case however, and although the concept of the Great Terror seems to be an important aspect of the narrative, the combination also seems to be aiming at some sort of mockery. Let us take things from the beginning though.
Occult Bolshevism is screening at Inland Dimensions
A group of people are gathered in an abandoned factory, where an experiment about the supernatural is being conducted. The purpose of the experiment is not known to all, and particularly the latest arrivals, a young man named Ando and his fiance, Yukiko, seem to be almost completely out of the loop.
Occult Bolshevism is screening at Inland Dimensions
A group of people are gathered in an abandoned factory, where an experiment about the supernatural is being conducted. The purpose of the experiment is not known to all, and particularly the latest arrivals, a young man named Ando and his fiance, Yukiko, seem to be almost completely out of the loop.
- 9/25/2021
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
“Yamato (California)” is Japanese director Daisuke Miyazaki’s second feature film. The title reminds us of Wim Wenders’ “Paris, Taxis,” but “Yamato” invokes more than just a sense of displacement. It also points to a greater geopolitical reality. It turns out, there is a part of Yamato which doesn’t belong to the Japanese government, but the U.S. It’s one of the many U.S. military bases in Japan. The director wants to make sure that we grasp the extraordinariness of this town; at the beginning of the film, a title card explains to us the background of the U.S. military base. Then, a long mobile shot shows us the never ending fences the U.S. military built to divide the military base and the civilian sphere. Later in the film, when the main character Sakura (played by the Korean-Japanese actress Hanae Kan) finally bonds with her...
- 7/10/2020
- by I-Lin Liu
- AsianMoviePulse
The interview was initially conducted on September 2017
Takuro Nakamura is a graduate of Waseda University and is also a photographer and an installation artist. His films include “Taito” (2011) and: I’m Home” (2012). Taito won the Special Jury Award at the 33rd Pia Film Festival.”West North West” is his second feature film. We speak with him about the film, his actresses, his view on art-house cinema and many other topics.
Can you tell us a bit about the path that led you to “West North West”? What was your previous experience in film?
I had experience in making a few shorts and one feature film prior to “West North West”.
Why did you decide to deal with the theme of LGBT and how come you included the difference-of-culture theme in the film?
The LGBT theme is based on very personal experiences. What I focused on was very small differences between...
Takuro Nakamura is a graduate of Waseda University and is also a photographer and an installation artist. His films include “Taito” (2011) and: I’m Home” (2012). Taito won the Special Jury Award at the 33rd Pia Film Festival.”West North West” is his second feature film. We speak with him about the film, his actresses, his view on art-house cinema and many other topics.
Can you tell us a bit about the path that led you to “West North West”? What was your previous experience in film?
I had experience in making a few shorts and one feature film prior to “West North West”.
Why did you decide to deal with the theme of LGBT and how come you included the difference-of-culture theme in the film?
The LGBT theme is based on very personal experiences. What I focused on was very small differences between...
- 7/10/2020
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Asian films about LGBT are on the rise the latest years, with films like “Our Love Story”, “Close-Knit“, “Die Beautiful” and “Fathers“. However, Takuro Nakamura takes the concept a bit further, as he combines it with the issue of cultural differences, while he also offers a rather artistic visage to the subject.
“West North West “screened at Japan Cuts
Naima is a rather shy, socially incompatible exchange student from Tehran living in Tokyo, where she studies art. Her life, though, seems to change when she attracts the interest of Kei, a radically different woman who works in a bar and has a relationship with a fashion model, Ai. Kei, however, has some troubles with her tumultuous relationship, and the somewhat morose and quiet nature of Naima draws her, with the girls quickly becoming friends. Kei seems to want more from Naima, who does not seem to share the same sentiments.
“West North West “screened at Japan Cuts
Naima is a rather shy, socially incompatible exchange student from Tehran living in Tokyo, where she studies art. Her life, though, seems to change when she attracts the interest of Kei, a radically different woman who works in a bar and has a relationship with a fashion model, Ai. Kei, however, has some troubles with her tumultuous relationship, and the somewhat morose and quiet nature of Naima draws her, with the girls quickly becoming friends. Kei seems to want more from Naima, who does not seem to share the same sentiments.
- 7/7/2020
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Born in 1980, Daisuke Miyazaki started making films when he was student at Waseda University. In 2004, his thesis film “The 10th Room” won the Grand Prix at New York University’s Kut Film Festival in Japan. After graduating from college, he has worked for Leos Carax, Kiyoshi Kurosawa and Kunitoshi Manda. “Yamato (California)” is his second feature film.
On the occasion of his film, “Yamato (California)” screening at Five Flavours, we speak with him about music, his recent film, Japanese society and many other topics.
Why did you decide to become a filmmaker?
I liked art in general so it was a natural thing to start filmmaking because you can combine all art forms into one. The 2nd golden era of Hollywood, when I was a child in the 80’s and also the art house film boom in Japan when I was in college influenced me as well.
You have worked...
On the occasion of his film, “Yamato (California)” screening at Five Flavours, we speak with him about music, his recent film, Japanese society and many other topics.
Why did you decide to become a filmmaker?
I liked art in general so it was a natural thing to start filmmaking because you can combine all art forms into one. The 2nd golden era of Hollywood, when I was a child in the 80’s and also the art house film boom in Japan when I was in college influenced me as well.
You have worked...
- 10/5/2019
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Hanae Kan was born on November 7, 1990 in Mishima City, Shizuoka, Japan as Han Yong-hye, as her father is Korean. She made her debut when she was just 11 years old, in Seijun Suzuki’s “Pistol Opera”, and in 2004 she played in Hirokazu Koreeda’s “Nobody Knows”. Her career continued until today, with some her latest roles including “West North West,”Yamato (California)” and “Love And Other Cults” .
On the occasion of the latter screening at Fantasia International Film Festival, we speak with her about her latest films, her career, the Japanese audience, her double ethnicity, and many other topics.
This year has been quite good for you, with roles (apart from “Love and other Cults”) in “Inumukoiri” and “Yamato (California)”. Can you tell us a bit about these experiences?
I’ve been working with director Katashima of “Inumukoiri” for a long time. Actually, he was the producer of my debut film...
On the occasion of the latter screening at Fantasia International Film Festival, we speak with her about her latest films, her career, the Japanese audience, her double ethnicity, and many other topics.
This year has been quite good for you, with roles (apart from “Love and other Cults”) in “Inumukoiri” and “Yamato (California)”. Can you tell us a bit about these experiences?
I’ve been working with director Katashima of “Inumukoiri” for a long time. Actually, he was the producer of my debut film...
- 7/16/2019
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
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