EXCLUSIVE: Here’s your first trailer for Japan’s Oscar entry Kokuho, the coming-of-age Kobuki drama that stars Ryo Yoshizawa, Ken Watanabe and Ryusei Yokohama.
Kokuho is the second highest-grossing local live-action movie of all time in Japan, where it has taken more than $104M since its June premiere. It’s also the 15th highest-grossing movie ever at the Japanese box office. Yoshizawa trained 18 months in the art and history of Kabuki theater to play an actor pursuing greatness at all costs.
The Cannes Directors’ Fortnight title will hit U.S. theaters via GKids for an award-qualifying run beginning November 14 in Los Angeles and November 21 in New York.
The pic directed by Sang-il Lee (Pachinko) got its North American bow last month at TIFF. Its U.S. runs will take place first for a week at AMC Universal CityWalk and then a week at the Angelika Film Center in New York. It will also screen at AFI Fest in Los Angeles on October 24.
The logline reads: “Nagasaki, 1964. After the death of his father, the leader of a yakuza gang, 14-year-old Kikuo is taken under the wing of a famous Kabuki actor. Alongside Shunsuke, the actor’s only son, Kikuo (Yoshizawa) decides to dedicate himself to this traditional form of theatre. Across decades, the two young men grow and evolve together – from acting school to the grandest stages – amid scandals and glory, brotherhood and betrayals, as each pushes to become the greatest living Kabuki master.
The movie marks the first live-action contemporary film release from well known animated film distributor Gkids, which was acquired by Japanese media giant Toho almost a year ago.
AloJapan.com