Source: Third Window Films Official Movie Site: kotoko-movie.com (Japan), thirdwindowfilms.com/kotoko (UK) Special Thanks to Adam Torel and Claire Marty
KOTOKO (???, 2011), the new film from cult director Shinya Tsukamoto (TETSUO, SNAKE OF JUNE, VITAL) comes to DVD and Blu-ray in the United Kingdom on October 8th, 2012 from distributor Third Window Films. Starring the famous Japanese folk singer, Cocco, KOTOKO is the only Japanese film to ever win the ‘BEST FILM’ award in the Orrizonti of the Venice Film Festival. A North American home video release has not been announced. Shinya Tsukamoto presents an unnerving film about mental instability. Kotoko (folk-singer Cocco), a young single mother, lives alone with her baby son. Suffering from an unknown illness that makes her see double -- especially people -- and not knowing which version of the person is real, it severely impacts her day-to-day life, often leading to her to lash out violently. As her situation worsens and she becomes a liability, her son is taken from her a put in the care of her sister. Kotoko is left alone with her own thoughts -- and for a person with an already broken mind that is a very scary place indeed. Director Shinya Tsukamoto was born in Tokyo, Japan on Jan 1, 1960. He started making films when he was a junior high school student. He graduated from Nippon University, majoring in oil painting. After graduating the university, he was employed by a TV commercial film production. While working for the production, he participated in stage activity along with the people who became both the cast members and film crew for his film, TETSUO THE IRON MAN (1989). The film instantly put him in the limelight as a filmmaker with an original vision and style in the international film scene. The films that followed TETSUO received many rave reviews and prizes: TETSUO II: BODY HAMMER (1992), TOKYO FIST (1995), BULLET BALLET, and A SNAKE OF JUNE (2002) which won the Jury’s Prize (Contro Corrente section) at the Venice International Film Festival. He recently completed his trilogy of Tetsuo films, with TETSUO THE BULLET MAN (2009) which entered the competition at the Venice International Film Festival. In his 2004 film VITAL, the closing theme song was provided by Cocco who is the main lead in his latest film, KOTOKO. He is also an ardent actor and has acted for many directors. He received the Best Supporting Actor at the Mainichi Newspaper Film Concours in 2002. CREDITS Cast Cocco as Kotoko Shinya Tsukamoto as Tanaka Staff Planning/Produce/Screen Play/Cinematography/Edit and Directed by Shinya Tsukamoto Planning/Inspiration for story/Music/Production Design by Cocco Sound Editing by Masaya Kitada Special Make-Up and Plastic Art Design by Mai Hanai First Assistant Director/Cinematography by Satoshi Hayashi Production Company: Kaijyu Theater Co., Ltd. World Sales: Gold View Co., Ltd. SPECS Release Date: October 8th, 2012 Running Time: 91 Minutes Number of discs: 1 Specifications: DVD: Region 2, PAL Blu-ray: Region B Anamorphic Widescreen Transfer Original Japanese Audio in 5.1 Surround Sound Removable English Subtitles Special Features: Exclusive interview with Shinya Tsukamoto UK Trailer Japanese Theatrical Trailer
About Third Window Films
The Third Window Films brand was born in 2005 when its film-loving founders grew bored of the stream of worn-out shock horror vehicles from the Far East. Third Window Films works hard to bring you the wonderful world beyond long-haired ghost films and mindless Hollywood action copies, sourcing the finest works in new Far Eastern cinema. We strive to represent a rich variety of film genres, be they dramas, comedies, political satires, action or anything else in between. Expect everything from the unknown and cult to the off-beat and even the occasional mainstream masterpiece... or expect nothing but quality Asian cinema! Let Third Window Films be your window to the East!