Source: Third Window Films press release Official Movie Site: harakore.com (Japan), thirdwindowfilms.com/mitsuko-delivers (UK) Special Thanks to Claire Marty
Third Window Films is pleased to announce the UK theatrical release of MITSUKO DELIVERS (????????, Hara Ga Kore Nande, 2011), opening at ICA and selected regional sites May 11th, 2012. Directed by Yuya Ishii (SAWAKO DECIDES), the film stars Riisa Naka (LOVE STRIKES!, TIME TRAVELLER: THE GIRL WHO LEAPT THROUGH TIME), Aoi Nakamura (PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 2: TOKYO NIGHT, QUIRKY GUYS AND GALS, BECK) and Ryo Ishibashi (AUDITION, THE GRUDGE, KIDS RETURN). MITSUKO DELIVERS is an Official Selection of the London Film Festival, Busan Film Festival and Vancouver Film Festival. INTRODUCTION The 28-year-old film director, Yuya Ishii, has now burst on the world scene with his brilliant filmmaking. Ishii’s film MITSUKO DELIVERS was featured in the 37th Rotterdam International Film Festival and the 32nd Hong Kong International Film Festival -- an exceptional honor for a fledgling director. At the Hong Kong Asia Film Awards, Ishii was again recognized and awarded the inaugural “Edward Yang New Talent Award.” Back home in Japan, Ishii won the Pia Film Festival Grand Prix in 2007 for MUKIDASHI NIPPON (Bare-Assed Japan) and followed up with the mega-hit SAWAKO DECIDES (??????????, Kawa no Soko Kara Konnichi Wa, 2010) for which he won the Best Director at the Blue Ribbon Awards and the Best New Director Award at the Yokohama Film Festival. His next film A MAN WITH STYLE (????????, Azemichi no Dandy, 2011) was again, highly acclaimed. The entire world has been enthralled with the originality of Ishii’s world that eludes categorization in any single genre. The actress chosen to star in director Ishii’s newest venture is Riisa Naka, winner of this year’s Japan Academy Award for Best New Actress. Her film credits include TIME TRAVELLER: THE GIRL WHO LEAPT THROUGH TIME (???????, Toki wo Kakeru Shojo, 2010) and ZEBRAMAN 2: ATTACK ON ZEBRA CITY (?????? -?????????-, Zeburaaman -Zeburaa Shiti no Gyakushuu, 2010) as well as a number of TV commercials. Naka meets director Ishii’s world view head on, with a boldness that belies her sweet image. Evolving as the newest muse of Japanese film, MITSUKO DELIVERS is destined to be one of Naka’s showcase films. SYNOPSIS Mitsuko Hara is in her ninth month of pregnancy. Her parents (serial failed entrepreneurs) think that she`s in California with the baby`s GI father, and she`s happy to leave them in ignorance. But she`s actually back in Tokyo, broke and friendless. So she has her flat cleared, gets into a taxi she can`t pay for, and follows a cloud back to the little working-class alley where she grew up. The place is pretty run-down and depressed these days, but Mitsuko`s can-do, bull-in-a-china-shop attitude soon shakes everyone up. There`s much to be done. The little diner needs more customers, the alley`s elderly woman owner needs carers, the tongue-tied man who could never propose to the widow in the coffee-shop needs a push... So much to do, so little time before Mitsuko goes into labor. Yuya Ishii follows SAWAKO DECIDES with another breathless comic drama about a girl asserting herself when all around her are floundering.
MITSUKO DELIVERS
Japan / 2011 / 109 Mins / In Japanese with English subtitles / Color / 35mm Cast Riisa Naka / Aoi Nakamura / Ryo Ishibashi Miyoko Inagawa / Shiro Namiki / Miyako Takeuchi / Momoka Ohno / Yoshimasa Kondo / Yukijiro Hotaru / Risho Takigawa / Shigeyuki Totsugi / Ryu Morioka / Keiko Saito Staff Written and directed by: Yuya Ishii Theme Song: “Ai Nante” – GOING UNDER GROUND ( Pony Canyon ) Produced by: Pony Canyon Inc., PARCO Co., SHOWGATE Inc., dub Co., Toei Channel, PIA Co., Yahoo Japan Co., TOKYO FM Broadcasting Co., smoke Co. , Nippon Planning Center Inc. Planning: PARCO Co., Pony Canyon Inc. Production: smoke Co., dub Co. Distribution: SHOWGATE Inc.
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!