NIPPON EIGA SERIES PART 26
Director: Sang-il Lee
Cast: Satoshi Tsumabuki, Eri Fukatsu
Japan | 2010 | 139 min. | 35mm Film | Japanese with English Subtitles
Date: Wednesday, March 30
Doors 6:30PM, Film 7:00PM
Venue: Big Cinemas Manhattan (Former ImaginAsian)
239 E 59th St, NYC
Many of Japan’s top directors vied for the project. Over 20 companies bid on the film adaptation rights. And at last, TOHO brings Shuichi Yoshida’s award-winning novel, Villain (Akunin), to the screen as one of the most highly anticipated films of 2010. The director is Lee Sang-li, whose Hula Girls (2006) swept the awards in Japan that year, including Best Picture at the Japan Academy Prize. The music is composed by the world-renowned Joe Hisaishi, who has scored many films by Hayao Miyazaki and Takeshi Kitano as well as the recent hit Departures(2008).
The protagonist (and killer), Yuichi, is layed by Satoshi Tsumabuki (Josee, the Tiger and the Fish), who coverted the role. Mitsuyo, the women who falls for and goes on the run with Yuichi, is played by Eri Fukatsu (The Magic Hour). In addition, the stellar supporting cast includes Masaki Okada (A Gentle Breeze in the Village) as a college student who holds the key to the murdered women, Akira Emoto (Dr. Akagi) as the victim’s father, and Kirin Kiki (Still Walking) as the killer’s grandmother.
DIRECTOR: Sang-il Lee
Lee Sang-il is a Korean-Japanese film director and screenwriter. He won the Best Director and Best Screenplay prizes at Japanese Academy Prize for Hula Girls (2006) and Villain (2010).
CAST: Satoshi Tsumabuki
Satoshi Tsumabuki is a Japanese actor. His breakthrough film was Waterboys (2001) for which he was nominated for the Best Actor award at the Japanese Academy Prize.
CAST: Eri Fukatsu
Music: Joe Hisaishi
Joe Hisaishi is a composer and director known for over 100 film scores and solo albums dating back to 1981. He also released a new solo album in early 2009 featuring tracks from Shellfish and the recent hit Departures (2008).
Eri Fukatsu is a Japanese actress. She just won the award for best actress prize at the 2010 Montreal World Film Festival for her performance in Villain (Akunin).
For more info: http://www.newyork-tokyo.com/wp/villain/