Welcome to the third and final trailer post of this week.
Part one is here and part two is here.
The trailer posts have been released earlier than normal because I am about to launch into coverage of the Osaka Asian Film Festival 2024 and the Glasgow International Film Festival 2024.
I have 20+ reviews and a similar number of interviews I want to file over the next few months so it’ll be wall-to-wall writing and watching films and writing and watching films. This is on top of the festival work I had been doing for quite some time. I’m feeling energised and upbeat about it since I love movies.
Other things I worked on was a preview post covering the Third Window Films’ release of the Tak Sakaguchi actioner 1%er.
What are the other films released this weekend?
Being Kazue 
かづゑ的 「Kazue-teki」
Release Date: March 02nd, 2024
Duration: 119 mins.
Director: Hiroko Kumagai
Writer: N/A
Starring: N/A
Synopsis: This documentary is about Kazue Miyazaki. Since being diagnosed with leprosy at the age of 10, Kazue, has been living in Nagashima Aiseien Sanatorium, which is based on Nagashima Island, on the Seto Inland Sea, for about 80 years. Due to the disease, her fingers and feet have been amputated, and she has little vision left, but she tries to remain independent with the help of others, including her husband, Takayuki. She has found emotional support from family, friends, and books and has gone on to publish a book and achieve other things that make her a fascinating character.
Confetti 
瞼の転校生 「Mabuta no Tenkousei」
Release Date: March 02nd, 2024
Duration: 80 mins.
Director: Naoya Fujita
Writer: Kaneko Suzuyuki (Screenplay),
Starring: Shion Matsufuji, Jun Saito, Sara Hayama, Hirona Murata, Hanamaru Ichikawa, Toru Kizu, Soran Tamoto, Hinako Saeki. Reiko Takashima
Website Twitter: @mabuta_movie
This film played at Skip City 2023 and was produced to commemorate the 20th anniversary of SKIP City International D-Cinema Festival, and the 90th anniversary of Kawaguchi City, which is where the festival is also held.
Director Fujita had previously made the short film Stay (2019), which won Best Picture in the 2020 edition of the festival.
Synopsis: Junior high school student Yuki belongs to a traveling theater troupe. As such, he changes schools every month to match his performance schedule and he has learned not to make connections with others. When attending a new school, his homeroom teacher asks him to deliver something to an absent classmate. That is when he meets Ken, a kid who has excellent grades but truants. They become friends and are joined by Maya, Ken’s ex-girlfriend. This is when Yuki begins to wish that they could see him on stage as an actor.
These films were first screened last year at the Tanabe-Benkei Film Festival Selection.
Itsumo Ushiro ni 
いつもうしろに 「Itsumo Ushiro ni」
Release Date: March 02nd, 2024
Duration: 36 mins.
Director: Sakura Tanaka
Writer: Sakura Tanaka, Natsumi Ishii (Screenplay),
Starring:Hiroto Ooshita, Kyo Sato, Takeo Arihara, Jinya Nimura, Mayumi Kanetani,
Synopsis: Shota graduated from university two years ago and has now decided it is time to leave his parents’ house and find a new job. Escaping the past isn’t so easy as, when he arrives at his new house, he encounters a mysterious stuffed animal and a woman with the same face as his ex-girlfriend.
Yumemiru Petoro 
夢見るペトロ 「Yumemiru Petoro」
Release Date: August 12th, 2023
Duration: 32 mins.
Director: Sakura Tanaka
Writer: Sakura Tanaka (Screenplay),
Starring: Suzuha Maeda, Takehiro Senda, Yukino,
Sakura Tanaka made a grip of films while at Doshisha University and this one won the Special Jury Prize and the Actor’s Award for Suzuha Maeda at the 16th Tanabe-Benkei Film Festival.
Synopsis: Sayuri is drifting along in life while working as a part-timer handing out flyers. Her brother Ritsu is moving on. He has lost his pet parakeet Petro but, he lets her know that he is about to get married. Disturbed and doubtful, Sayuri begins to dwell on the past and a fantasy world that is similar to the real world, but one where Ritsu and his part-time worker friend Minori, are just a little different from reality. Through these thoughts, Sayuri gradually moves forward.
Actors Short Film 4 
アクターズ・ショート・フィルム4 「 Akuta-zu Sho-to Firumu 4」
Release Date: March 03rd, 2024
Duration: 104 mins.
Director: Yudai Chiba, Riisa Naka, Sota Fukushi, Win Morisaki
Writer: Yudai Chiba, Ai Yamazaki, Sota Fukushi, Ikko Ueda (Script)
Starring: Hayate Ichinose, Haruka Kudo, Haruka Imou, Ryo Kimura,
Synopsis: “Actor’s Short Film” is a project that was launched by WOWOW to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the station. Actors are allowed to create a short film lasting up to 25 minutes with the same budget, shooting date, and other conditions. This instalment features Yudai Chiba, Riisa Naka, Sota Fukushi, and Win Morisaki.
Kupipo SOS! Beyond 
くぴぽ SOS！ びよーーーーんど 「Kupipo SOS! Biyo—-ndo」
Release Date: March 02nd, 2024
Duration: 96 mins.
Director: Yuuki Tanabe
Writer: N/A
Starring: Maki Hattori, Chiaki, Uno, Shuri, Honbo-chan, Hime-chan,
Synopsis: This is the second in a documentary series about an Osaka-based underground idol group named “Kupipo SOS!” and their unconventional performances, crises, and line-up changes. They labelled themselves, “the least popular idol group in Osaka” due to their unpopularity but started to gain success. However, just as they start making progress, the Covid pandemic strikes and their performances come to a halt and each member begins to think about his or her future.
Tsushima Fukushima wa Kataru Dai-Ni-Sho 
津島 福島は語る・第二章 「Tsushima Fukushima wa Kataru Dai-Ni-Sho」
Release Date: March 02nd, 2024
Duration: 187 mins.
Director: Toshikuni Doi
Writer: N/A
Starring: N/A
Website Twitter: @doi_toshikuni
Synopsis: This is a documentary about the former residents of Tsushima, Namie Town, Fukushima Prefecture. Their homes were located 30 kilometres northwest of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. After the plant’s meltdown, their homes were cordoned off. They give testimonies about their lives, the history of their community, the discrimination they have suffered subsequent to the disaster, and their hopes for the future and the passing on of traditional culture.