Welcome to the third of three trailer posts for this week.
You can find part one here and part two here.
Not much to report in terms of films watched. I did preview the Japanese films at this year’s Vancouver International Film Festival and the release of Kalanchoe on Sakka.
What are the last trailers for this week?
Mitsuki, Sekai 
満月、世界 「Mitsuki, Sekai」
Release Date: September 21st, 2024
Duration: 66 mins.
Director: Marina Tsukada
Writer: Marina Tsukada (Screenplay),
Starring: Usagi, Yuki Wakui, Yumi Tamai, Mayumi Kawano, Takashi Yamamoto, Ryo Ikeda,
Website Twitter: @tokifilm
This is an omnibus film directed by Marina Tsukada. One part is Sekai, which I utterly adored. Whenever I think of specific scenes from it, I start to cry. If you listen to the Heroic Purgatory podcast, you can hear me get emotional over it.
Sekai is wonderful.
Synopsis: A two-part film, it begins with “Mitsuki,” about a junior high school student who searches for her place in life while writing novels and immersing herself in music. The second part is “Sekai,” which intersects the days of a shy middle school student struggling to communicate and a musician who almost gave up on her dream.
This film came from a project called “Toki (Time)” wherein Tsukada was working with children and 16mm film in her hometown of Nagano, which is where she met the stars of the film. The film co-stars Yumi Tamai, a voice actor who voiced Rin in Spirited Away.
Kohei Igarashi Retrospective: “Youthful Stories”
Kohei Igarashi is getting a retrospective ahead of the release of SUPER HAPPY FOREVER, which is at major international festivals this autumn. A retrospective of his works runs from September 19 to October 03rd at Shimokita-Ekimae Cinema K2 to reintroduce his earlier films.
Hold Your Breath Like a Lover
Hold Your Breath Like a Lover Film Poster
息を殺して 「Iki wo Koroshite」
Release Date: June 20th, 2015
Running Time: 85 mins.
Director: Kohei Igarashi
Writer: Kohei Igarashi (Screenplay),
Starring: Ran Taniguchi, Goichi Mine, Yusuke Inaba, Koji Harada, Tomomitsu Adachi, Ran Arai, Rina Tanaka, Yuki Inagaki
This film was made while Igarashi studied at Tokyo University of the Arts. Here’s the intro from my review:
This has been a film that has haunted me ever since I first saw the trailer back in 2014 and it was one of the films I was hoping to find in 2020. Well, I did. I ended up viewing it a couple of times. My initial impressions from the trailer was that this felt like it had “shades of Pulse (2001)” and an “apocalypse angle” but it turned out to be something else entirely, a subtle, gorgeous and melancholy take on the anxiety felt on the path of adulthood and a gradual maturation of its characters. It’s story is simple, perfect for allowing the powerful atmospherics to wash over me and pull me along.
The film takes place a couple of days after Christmas, 2017 at a recycling centre/factory in Yokohama are lingering together after a night shift, which is where a skeleton crew keeping the lights on include 20-somethings like Tani (Ran Taniguchi), a gloomy office lady, and two workers, laidback Ken (Yusuke Inaba) and his survival-game-obsessed friend Gou (Goichi Mine) who roams around clad in combat gear. There are a couple of middle-aged colleagues too, such as Yana (Koji Harada), a divorcee who valiantly tries to fix up Christmas decorations, and Adachi (Tomomitsu Adachi), a man who seems like he is on the fast track for divorce after his wife has discovers he is being unfaithful. As the new year approaches, the factory becomes haunted by ghosts of people they knew and members of the team show what has united them in staying put: fears that they carry in their hearts over their uncertain futures.
The Night I Swam / La nuit ou j’ai nage 
泳ぎすぎた夜 「Oyogi Sugita Yoru」
Running Time: 79 mins.
Release Date: April 14th, 2018
Director: Kohei Igarashi, Damien Manivel,
Writer: Ichiro Kusuno (Screenplay), Sui Ishida (Original Manga)
Starring: Takara Kogawa, Keiki Kogawa, Chisato Kogawa, Takashi Kogawa, Yuji Kudo,
This film came about after Kohei Igarashi, who had previously directed the mysterious and melancholy Hold Your Breath Like a Lover, met French director Damien Manivel (A Young Poet, The Park) at Locarno and decided to collaborate. The resulting film was unveiled at the 74th Venice Film Festival in the Orizzonti category back in August and then at Tokyo FILMeX. It charts a magical day in the life of a little boy who takes a detour from school and explores his local area. No dialogue, just the sounds of the world coupled with images that show the young character demonstrating the innocence and curiosity of a child his age.
Synopsis: A fisherman in Tohoku Prefecture must make his way to the market in town very early in the morning. His departure wakes his six-year-old son who finds it impossible to fall back to sleep. Awake and with few distractions, the young boy draws a picture and he then slips into his satchel. On his way to school, still drowsy, he strays off the path and wanders into the snow to deliver the picture to his father.
Two of Us
水魚之交 「Suigyo no majiwari」
Release Date: September 20th, 2024
Duration: 19 mins.
Director: Kohei Igarashi
Writer: Kohei Igarashi (Screenplay),
Starring: Yoshinori Miyata, Hiroki Sano,
This was made as a pilot film for Igarashi’s upcoming Super Happy Forever, which is on the festival circuit.
Synopsis: Sano and Miyata are childhood friends on a trip at a seaside hotel. Miyata’s cell phone keeps ringing, and a numb Sano answers the call.
Suigyo no majiwari carries the meaning of a very close relationship – like that of a fish and water, so the Japanese title is more profound.
House of Tofu
豆腐の家 「Tofu no ie」
Release Date: September 20th, 2024
Duration: 38 mins.
Director: Kohei Igarashi
Writer: Kohei Igarashi, Junji Isowaki (Screenplay), Fumiko Fumi (Original Story),
Starring: Ran Taniguchi, Hoshi Ishida, Tomomitsu Adachi, Goichi Mine, Takuji Suzuki,
This is an adaptation of a manga by Fumiko Fumi that was originally part of the omnibus film Koi ni Tsukimono, which was released theatrically in 2014.
Synopsis: Yoichi and Kinuko begin a warm married life in a new house, which they name “Tofu House” after the pure white walls and Kinuko’s name. Things turn sour due to Yoichi’s job causing him stress and free-spirited Kinuko’s penchant for always serving only tofu for meals. Eventually, Kinuko begins to say that the tofu house is getting rotten.
Merchen
メルヒェン 「Meruhen」
Release Date: September 20th, 2024
Duration: 30 mins.
Director: Kohei Igarashi
Writer: Makoto Oki (Screenplay),
Starring: Sayuri Ichinose, Kentaro Sato, Nobo,
Igarashi made this film in 2012 as a first-year internship film for the graduate school of Tokyo University of the Arts.
Synopsis: Maki and Nao have recently broken up but changes are slow to set in and they continue on living life as before. When Nao catches a cold, Maki ends up taking over caring for the dog and doing housework. One night, there is a funny exchange.
Voice of the Rain that Comes at Night
夜来風雨の声 「Yarai fuu no koe」
Release Date: September 20th, 2024
Duration: 74 mins.
Director: Kohei Igarashi
Writer: Kohei Igarashi (Screenplay), ,
Starring: Yusuke Inaba, Yuuko Amano,
This film was made while Igarashi studied at Tokyo Zokei University.
Synopsis: Inaba is in between jobs after getting fired for theft. Nevertheless, he lives happily with his girlfriend Amano while secretly having a desire to be a poet. He has no money and so when a friend tells him about a hospital that is paying a lot of money to inject human subjects with experimental medicine, Inaba responds with interest…