Press Notes and High-Res Photos from New Samurai Film Source: Shochiku Co., Ltd. Official Site: zakurozaka.com (Japan)
After opening in Japan in September, Shochiku`s SNOW ON THE BLADES (???????, Zakuro-zaka no Adauchi) will have its international premiere on November 2nd at the Hawaii International Film Festival 2014. Directed by Setsuro Wakamatsu (WHITEOUT, THE UNBROKEN), the film is adapted from a short story by Jiro Asada which was included in the 2003 collection Goroji dono Oshimatsu. This story captures the 13 year struggle between two samurai, Kingo Shimura (Kiichi Nakai), a dedicated personal bodyguard of Naosuke Ii (Kichiemon Nakamura) who brought Japan into the modern era, and his enemy Jubei Sahashi (Hiroshi Abe), one of the assassins, over a tragedy which struck Naosuke. The old feudal society of Japan rapidly gave way to a modernized county, but Kingo didn’t abandon the spirit of the samurai as he earnestly searched for his foe, Jubei. Meanwhile Jubei also waits the inevitable showdown with Kingo. Japanese Theatrical Release Date: September 30, 2014 International Premiere: November 2, 2014 (Hawaii International Film Festival 2014) Running Time: 121 Minutes Cast Kingo Shimura: Kiichi Nakai Jubei Sahashi: Hiroshi Abe Setsu: Ryoko Hirosue Shinnosuke Naito: Masahiro Takashima Masa: Sei Matobu Toyoho Takarabe: Eisaku Yoshida Shuemon Inaba: Yoshikuni Dochin Kakuma Shimura: Yoichiro Omi Yuki: Yuria Kizaki Kazue Akimoto: Tatsuya Fuji Chief Minister Naosuke Ii: Kichiemon Nakamura Staff Director: Setsuro Wakamatsu Original Story: Goroji dono Oshimatsu by Jiro Asada (Chuokoron-Shinsha, Inc.) Writers: Kenzaburo Iida, Hironobu Takamatsu Producer: Naoya Kinoshita Music: Joe Hisaishi Production Partners: "SNOW ON THE BLADES" Film Partners (Kinoshita Group, Destiny, Bandai Visual, Shochiku, Boreti Holdings Limited, Tsukada Farm. Tsuneishi Group, HR Consulting, Aisei Pharmacy, Tanetani Group, HOME`S, Emi, Masaki Yoshida Office, JTB Communications, Enetto, Kazuhiro, Yamajin Group, MODA Office) Production Company: Destiny Special Cooperation: Shochiku Studio Distribuor: Shochiku © 2014 "SNOW ON THE BLADES" Film Partners