Nominees for the 73rd Mainichi Film Awards (2018)

Here are the nominees for the 73rd Mainichi Film Awards (2018) - note that I have only included the best movie and individual acting categories' nominees here:

Best Japanese Movie
Kiku to Guillotine
Kimi no tori wa utaeru
Korou no Chi
Netemo Sametemo
Manbiki Kazoku

Best Foreign Movie
Shape of Water
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Phantom Thread
The Post
1987: When the Day Comes

Best Leading Actor
Emoto Tasuku - Kimi no tori wa utaeru
Okada Junichi - Chiri Tsubaki
Higashide Masahiro - Netemo Sametemo
Yakusho Koji - Korou no Chi
Yamazaki Tsutomu - Mori no iru basho
Lily Franky - Manbiki Kazoku

Best Leading Actress
Ando Sakura - Manbiki Kazoku
Kadowaki Mugi - Tomerareuka, oretachi wo
Kuroki Haru - Nichinichi kore koujitsu
Shuri - Ikiterudakede, Ai
Matsuoka Mayu - Katte ni Furuetero

Best Supporting Actor
Arai Hirofumi - Kenen
Eita - Yuuzai
Sakou Yoshi - Kensatsugawa no Zainin
Sometani Shota - Kimi no tori wa utaeru
Tsukamoto Shinya - Zan
Ninomiya Kazunari - Kensatsugawa no Zainin
Matsuzaka Toori - Korou no Chi

Best Supporting Actress
Ishibashi Shizuka - Kimi no tori wa utaeru
Kan Hanae - Kiku to Guillotine
Kiki Kirin - Nichinichi kore koujitsu / Manbiki Kazoku
Kino Hana - Itoshi no Irene
Hara Hideko - Suzukike no Uso
Matsuoka Mayu - Manbiki Kazoku

Sponichi Grand Prix Male Newcomer
Kanichiro - Kiku to Guillotine
Jou Kairi - Manbiki Kazoku
Tamaoki Reo - Kyoukaishi
Narita Ryo - Niwatori Star
Maeda Ryusei - Zan
Yoshizawa Ryo - River's Edge

Sponichi Grand Prix Female Newcomer
Karata Erika - Netemo Sametemo
Kiryuu Mai - Kiku to Guillotine / Suzukike no uso
Sasaki Miyu - Manbiki Kazoku
Hirate Yurina - HIBIKI
Makita Aju - Shino-chan wa jibun no namae ga ienai
Minami Sara - Shino-chan wa jibun no namae ga ienai

Tanaka Kinuyo Award
Ando Sakura
Shirakawa Kazuko
Terajima Shinobu
Hara Hideko
Fubuki Jun

Source: Natalie

First-day-screening event of new movie "Kenen"

The first-day-screening event of new movie "Kenen" was held at Theatre Shinjuku on 10 February and attended by the director Yoshida Keisuke and cast members Kubota Masataka, Arai Hirofumi, Enoue Keiko and Kakei Miwako. The story which is based on the themes of envy, jealousy and hatred between family members, features two pairs of siblings who are on bad terms with each other. Kubota plays the role of Kanayama Kazunari who is a good-looking, honest and serious salesman of a publishing company but his elder brother Takuji (Arai) is the exact opposite i.e. a troublemaker who doesn't give a damn about anything and is just out of prison. On the other hand, Enoue plays the elder sister Ikuno Yuria who takes care of the family printing factory business and is secretly in love with Kazunari while her sister Mako (Kakei) is pretty and works as a gravure idol while helping out at home but is not very smart.

Premiere screening event of new movie "Kenen"

The premiere screening event of new movie "Kenen" was held at Shibuya TOEI on 16 January which was attended by the director Yoshida Keisuke and cast members Kubota Masataka, Arai Hirofumi, Enoue Keiko and Kakei Miwako. The movie will be shown in cinemas from 10 February.

The story which is based on the themes of envy, jealousy and hatred between family members, features two pairs of siblings who are on bad terms with each other. Kubota plays the role of Kanayama Kazunari who is a good-looking, honest and serious salesman of a publishing company but his elder brother Takuji (Arai) is the exact opposite i.e. a troublemaker who doesn't give a damn about anything and is just out of prison. On the other hand, Enoue plays the elder sister Ikuno Yuria who takes care of the family printing factory business and is secretly in love with Kazunari while her sister Mako (Kakei) is pretty and works as a gravure idol while helping out at home but is not very smart.

Kubota Masataka, Arai Hirofumi, Enoue Keiko & Kakei Miwako to star in new movie "Kenen"

Kubota Masataka, Arai Hirofumi, Enoue Keiko and Kakei Miwako will be starring in the new movie "Kenen" directed by Yoshida Keisuke which will be released in February 2018. The title of the movie literally means dogs and monkeys i.e. people who are on bad terms. Filming had been wrapped up recently.

The story which is based on the themes of envy, jealousy and hatred between family members, features two pairs of siblings who are on bad terms with each other. Kubota plays the role of Kanayama Kazunari who is a good-looking, honest and serious salesman of a publishing company but his elder brother Takuji (Arai) is the exact opposite i.e. a troublemaker who doesn't give a damn about anything and is just out of prison. On the other hand, Enoue plays the elder sister Ikuno Yuria who takes care of the family printing factory business and is secretly in love with Kazunari while her sister Mako (Kakei) is pretty and works as a gravure idol while helping out at home but is not very smart.

Kubota who is the youngest in a family of three brothers, said that there were many things in the story which he could identify with. He also commented that although Yoshida's directing style and storytelling seemed to be reflecting the mundane daily life, he was surprised by how the one's true feelings which are normally hidden, are revealed through the acting and conversations. As such, he had to engage in discussions with the director as it was difficult to grasp the fine balance needed to play his character. On the other hand, Arai joked that it would be difficult to convince people that he and Kubota are brothers because they look too different.

Enoue commented that it was easy for her to understand the feelings of Yuria as the story progressed and she was glad to be able to take on this role for her debut movie. As for Kakei, she expressed her joy at being given a chance to take on this movie and tried her best with the intention of improving as an actress.

Sources: Nikkansports / Yomiuri Hochi / Eiga.com