Winners of the Osaka Cinema Festival 2019

Top 10 Japanese movies
1) Korou no Chi
2) Manbiki Kazoku
3) Netemo Sametemo
4) Nichinichi kore koujitsu
5) Yakiniku Dragon
6) Kiku to Guillotine
7) Camera wo tomeruna!
8) Mori no iru basho
9) Itoshi no Irene / Kimi no tori wa utaeru

Best Leading Actor: Yakusho Koji (Korou no Chi)

Best Leading Actress: Shuri (Ikiterudakede, Ai)

Best Supporting Actor: Matsuzaka Toori (Korou no Chi)

Best Supporting Actress: Abe Junko (Korou no Chi)

Best Male Newcomer: Ootani Ryohei (Yakiniku Dragon)

Best Female Newcomer: Kiryu Mai (Kiku to Guillotine / Suzukike no Uso) & Hirao Nanaka (Gokko)

Best Director: Shiraishi Kazuya (Korou no Chi)

Best Script: Zeze Takahisa (Kiku to Guillotine / Yuuzai)

Best Cinematography: Tsukinaga Yuta (Mori no iru basho)

Best Music: tofubeats (Netemo sametemo)

Best New Director: Nojiri Katsumi (Suzukike no Uso)

Wild Bunch Award: Camera wo tomeruna!

Source: Osaka Cinema Festival

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

Winners of the 40th Yokohama Film Festival (2018)

Best Ten Movies
1) Netemo Sametemo
2) Korou no Chi
3) Manbiki Kazoku
4) HANAGATAMI
5) Camera wo tomeruna!
6) Kiku to Guillotine
7) Tomerareruka, oretachi wo
8) Suzukike no Uso
10) Mori no iru basho / Nichinichi kore koujitsu

Best Movie: Netemo Sametemo

Best Director: Hamaguchi Ryusuke (Netemo Sametemo) / Zeze Takahisa (Kiku to Guillotine / Yuuzai / Hachinengoshi no Hanayome Kiseki no Jitsuwa)

Morita Yoshimitsu Memorial New Director: Nojiri Katsumi (Suzukike no Uso)

Best Scriptwriter: Okita Shuichi (Mori no iru basho)

Best Cinematography: Sasaki Yasuyuki (Netemo Sametemo / Taisou shiyouyo)

Best Leading Actor: Higashide Masahiro (Netemo Sametemo) / Yakusho Koji (Korou no Chi)

Best Leading Actress: Ando Sakura (Manbiki Kazoku)

Best Supporting Actor: Matsuzaka Toori (Korou no Chi)

Best Supporting Actress: Matsuoka Mayu (Manbiki Kazoku / blank13 / Chihayafuru - Musubi -) / Ito Sairi (Netemo Sametemo / Enokida Bouekidou)

Best Newcomer: Karata Erika (Netemo Sametemo) / Yoshizawa Ryo (River's Edge, Gintama 2 Okite wa yaburutame ni koso aru / Marmalade Boy) / Kiryuu Mai (Kiku to Guillotine / Suzukike no Uso)

Judges' Special Award: Camera wo tomeruna!

Special Award: Yamazaki Tsutomu

Source: Natalie

Top 10 movies box office ranking for the weekend of 2nd & 3rd June 2018

Numbers in brackets indicate the number of cinemas showing the movie:

1) Deadpool 2 (363)

2) 50 Kaime no First Kiss (321)

3) Meitantei Conan Zero no shikkounin (360)

4) Tsuma yo bara no you ni Kazoku wa tsurai yo III (336)

5) Peter Rabbit (311)

6) OVER DRIVE (301)

7) Koi wa ameagari no you ni (300)

8) Saraba Seishun, Saredo Seishun (167)

9) Yuuzai (200)

10) Nomitori Zamurai (326)

Source: Eiga.com

Top 10 movies box office ranking for the weekend of 26th & 27th May 2018

Numbers in brackets indicate the number of cinemas showing the movie:

1) Meitantei Conan Zero no shikkounin (360)

2) Tsuma yo bara no you ni Kazoku wa tsurai yo III (336)

3) Peter Rabbit (311)

4) Koi wa ameagari no you ni (300)

5) Yuuzai (200)

6) Avengers: Infinity War (362)

7) Nomitori Zamurai (326)

8) Rampage (339)

9) Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion - Emperor (79)

10) Rapurasu no Majo (322)

Source: Eiga.com

Supporting cast line-up of new movie "Yuuzai" announced

The supporting cast line-up of new movie "Yuuzai" starring Ikuta Toma and Eita had been announced. The movie is based on the same-titled novel by Yakumaru Gaku which features Ikuta as Masuda who used to dream of being a journalist but had his hopes dashed and Eita as Suzuki who works at a small factory but doesn't talk about his past. The two of them who are of the same age, become friends when they happen to work at the same factory but when Masuda accidentally finds out that Suzuki may be the culprit behind a series of murders involving children 17 years ago when he was still a teenager, their friendship changes due to the complex mix of emotions such as doubt and regret.

Ikuta Toma & Eita to star in new movie "Yuuzai"

Ikuta Toma and Eita will be joint leads in the new movie "Yuuzai" (Sin of a friend) directed by Zeze Takahisa which will be shown in cinemas next May. This will be the third collaboration of the actors as they had acted together in the 2009 FujiTV drama "Voice ~ Inochinakimono no Koe ~" where Eita was the lead and the 2016 movie "Mogura no Uta Hong Kong Kyousoukyoku" where Ikuta was the lead but their first as double leads. Filming began on 22nd July and is due to be completed in August.

The movie is based on the same-titled novel by Yakumaru Gaku which features Ikuta as Masuda who used to dream of being a journalist but had his hopes dashed and Eita as Suzuki who works at a small factory but doesn't talk about his past. The two of them who are of the same age, become friends when they happen to work at the same factory but when Masuda accidentally finds out that Suzuki may be the culprit behind a series of murders involving children 17 years ago when he was still a teenager, their friendship changes due to the complex mix of emotions such as doubt and regret.

Ikuta and Eita who are close friends and go for meals together, expressed their delight in being able to work together again. Ikuta described Eita as someone who has both the sharpness of a beast and the gentleness of a loving person and is looking forward to work hard with him in this movie. Eita also echoed his view and praised Ikuta for being a stoic person and very observant to slight changes.

Ikuta revealed that he had read the novel before being offered the role and had thought about challenging himself one day if the opportunity ever came. As for Eita, he revealed that he was a bit apprehensive about the theme of this story and appreciated how tough it would be to play this character but decided to take up the challenge.

Sources: Nikkansports / Sanspo / Yomiuri Hochi / Sponichi / Eiga.com