Makeup Room
メイクルム 「Meikurumu」
Japanese Release Date: May 09th, 2015
UK Release Date: October 26th, 2015 Third Window Films
Running Time: 86 mins.
Director: Kei Morikawa
Writer: Kei Morikawa (Screenplay),
Starring: Aki Morita, Beni Itoh, Riri Kuribayashi, Nanami Kawakami, Mariko Sumiyoshi,
This indie comes from director Kei Morikawa who draws from his experiences as a former adult-video director for this comedy which stars some real life AV actresses. The comedy revolves around the egos and chaos involved in a porn shoot and the antics that happen in the makeup room. It looks like a similar deal to Be My Baby in the sense that it’s effectively a stage play with a limited set, shot on a shoestring budget and features actors doing lots of acting rather than porn.
I suppose I should say don’t go in expecting a flesh parade. It’s actually a funny and intelligent peek behind the pink curtain that covers the Japanese porn industry and while it avoids the uglier side of the trade it delves into taboos and problematic areas that the performers encounter in real life.
This title was the big winner of Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival’s Grand Prix earlier this year and it has travelled to the Udine Far East Film Festival:
I’ve already posted about it on Anime UK News so here is my blog post to spread the word!
MAKEUP ROOM
Directed by Kei Morikawa
(Director of more than 1000 Japanese porn films! His fiction feature debut)
Japan / 2014 / 86 Mins / In Japanese with English subtitles / Colour
Starring Japanese porn stars: Riri Kuribayashi, Nanami Kawakami & Beni Ito alongside indie-film actress Aki Morita (Henge, Sharing)
On DVD October 26th
DVD Special Features:
Interview with Cast & Crew
Synopsis: For the production of a new adult video, make-up artist Tsuzuki (Aki Morita) finds herself in all sorts of chaos when she ends up as the only person taking care of a large and varied cast of adult video stars. From the low-end, ‘will do anything’ Sugar Sato (Mariko Sumiyoshi) to the stuck-up pro Masami Ayase (Beni Ito), seasoned nymph Masako (Riri Kuribayoshi) and the shy newbie Toshiko (Nanami Kawakami), Tsuzuki must navigate a minefield of egos, controlling directors, production issues and more to keep the cast and crew calm during a long and tiresome shoot!
All shot in just one room and starring many real-life adult video actresses, director Kei Morikawa looks at his own experiences as a director in the adult video industry to make a smart, funny and touching comedy of Japan’s porn industry!
Director’s Biography-
-Kei Morikawa
After working as an assistant director, production assistant and camera operator, Kei Morikawa joined production company E-Staff Union, established by the famous pink and AV director Rokuroh Mochizuki.
Kei Morikawa has directed over 1,000 AV films and his latest work “Ekusute Musume Gekijoban” (roughly translated to ‘The Girl of Hair Extensions’ – a play on the Sion Sono film EXTE: Hair Extensions – a bloody funny film), in which Tomomi Nakatsuka, a former AKB48 member, plays the lead role.
Makeup Room is not a documentary, but a touching and hilarious look behind the curtain of Japan’s porn industry starring some of its top stars and directed by one of its most legendary directors!
Shot in just 2 days with a budget of $2000 it has still gone on to be a hit at many international film festivals!
Yubari Fantastic Film Festival – Winner: Grand Prix
Official Selection – Edinburgh International Film Festival, Udine Far East Film Festival, Japan Cuts, Taipei Film Festival
