Bangkok--8 May--J-Bics Film
STORY
Writer Misuzu Nakahara confesses her involvement in the 300 Million Yen Affair. In the chaotic days of the 1960s, Misuzu, a lonely high school girl from a troubled family, finds a sanctuary with her nihilistic brother Ryo and his friends, who pass day by day hanging around a shadowy caf? bar and indulging themselves in sex, drugs and alcohol. As the social unrest seeps in and their relationships gradually fall off, Misuzu gets drawn into a dangerous plot against the society set by one of the rebellious boys, Kishi — robbing a bank car of 300 million yen. The two accomplices set out for numerous rehearsals, and their hearts get closer secretly and quietly. On one rainy day, helped by coincidences, the heist goes successful to give a huge impact on Japan, but it only brings Misuzu a great sense of loss and sadness she had never expected…
YUKINARI HANAWA — DIRECTOR
Born 1965 in Kanagawa Prefecture, Hanawa worked part-time in the movie industry from his high school days. After the experiences on a series of Nikkatsu Roman Porno productions, he worked with directors Shun Nakahara (Neko no youni) and Kaizo Hayashi (Circus Boys, Stairway to the Distant Past) as an assistant director. His directorial debut in 1995 Tokyo Skin was awarded Special Jury Prize at the 10th Fukuoka International Film Festival and highly praised by Chen Kaige. For a year from 1999, he studied movie making in Australia with the governmental support. Along with Hatsu-koi, 2006 will see the completion of Fairy Tale of Sands shot in documentary style in Egypt.
AOI MIYAZAKI — ACTRESS
Born 1985 in Tokyo. Miyazaki draw the international attention for her role as a traumatic bus hijack survivor in Shinji Aoyama’s Eureka, which won FIPRESCI Prize in Cannes Film Festival 2000 and brought to her Best New Actress Award of Japanese Professional Movie Awards. In the next few years she won Best Actress Awards in Festival des 3 Continents and Cinemanila International Film Festival for her convincing performance in Harmful Insect. She teamed again with Aoyama on Eli, Eli, rema, sabachthani?, an Un Certain Regard selection of Cannes 2005. Later in the same year, the title role of hugely successful Nana boosted her to the new level of popularity. She is featured in many TV commercials as well as fashion magazines, and has established herself as one of the most dependable young actresses in her generation. This is the third time she co-stars with her real-life actor brother Masaru Miyazaki after Eureka and The Motive.
300 MILLION YEN AFFAIR — TRUE STORY
In the rainy morning of December 10, 1968, in the Tokyo suburb, a motorcycle policeman stopped a bank vehicle carrying 300 million yen (equivalent to today’s $2m) in cash — bonuses for the Toshiba employees. The policeman asked the driver and others in the car to step out while he inspects the car saying that there was a bombing threat. As they complied believing the fire from a smoke shell were real dynamite, he drove off the car and ran away. Despite more than 100 evidences left behind, with 170,000 policemen against 110,000 suspects spending almost a billion yen in the investigation, nobody was arrested and the stolen money was never found. The case was officially closed for prescription in 1975. The heist was so simple yet cool and precise it became one of the biggest mysteries of the 20th century in Japan, and spawned many books, films and TV dramas based on speculations. The “montage” photo of the suspect in a white police helmet has become an undeletable image in many people’s memory.
CAST
Misuzu Aoi Miyazaki (Eureka, Harmful Insect, Nana, Eli, Eli, rema, sabachthani?)
Kishi Keisuke Koide (Pacchigi!)
Ryo Masaru Miyazaki (Eureka, The Motive)
Yuka Rena Komine (August in the Water, Labyrinth of Dreams)
Takeshi Yu Emoto (Spring Snow, Yaji and Kita - The Midnight Pilgrims)
Tetsu Tadahiro Aoki (Sea Monkey)
Yasu Yuya Matsuura
CREW
Written and Directed by Yukinari Hanawa (Tokyo Skin)
Based on the Novel by Misuzu Nakahara
Cinematography by Junichi Fujisawa (Quille, Battle Royale II)
Lighting by Nariyuki Ueda (Be With You)
Production Design by Iwao Saito (Josee, the Tiger and the Fish, The Grudge)
Original Music by Coil
Theme Song “Requiem in Blue” by Chitose Hajime
A GAGA Films Production
2006 / 35mm / 114 mins. / Theatrical Release: June 2006
2006 GAGA COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
Click for photo release at www.thaipr.net