North American Premiere Live-Action Manga Adaptation Source: Toho, Nippon Television Network, Fantasia Festival Official Movie Site: chihayafuru-movie.com (Japan) Special Thanks to Kaila Hier and Emmanuelle DiBuono On July 23-24, the 2016 Fantasia International Film Festival hosted the North American premieres of CHIHAYAFURU Part.1 / Part.2. Directed by Nori Koizumi (THE LIAR AND HIS LOVER), the two live-action movies are based on the award-winning manga Chihayafuru by Yuki Suetsugu, which has sold more than 16 million copies. CHIHAYAFURU tells the story of Chihaya Ayase, a teenager who is obsessed with "competitive karuta", a game using traditional Japanese playing cards featuring classic Japanese poems called "waka". Seeing karuta as a link to her long-lost grade school friends Taichi and Arata, Chihaya forms a club at her high school. Soon, she and her friends are pouring their passion, love and dreams into competitive karuta. Suzu Hirose has her first lead film role as the heroine, Chihaya Ayase. Hirose has recently become one the most sought-after teen actresses in Japan thanks to her performances in the hit films OUR LITTLE SISTER (??diary, Umimachi Diary, 2015) and THE BOY AND THE BEAST (??????, Bakemono no Ko, 2015). She will next be seen in another manga adaptation, YOUR LIE IN APRIL (??????, Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso, 2016). Taichi Mashima is played by the popular Shuhei Nomura from HIBI ROCK: PUKE AFRO AND THE POP STAR (?????, Hibi Rokku, 2014), PUZZLE (???, Pazuru, 2014) and FLYING COLORS (?????, Biri Gyaru, 2015). Arata Wataya is played by Mackenyu, the American-born son of action legend Sonny Chiba. Toho released CHIHAYAFURU Part.1 in Japan this past March, with Part.2 following in April. Both films are now being offered to foreign distributors by Nippon Television.

STORY "I want to meet you again..." Chihaya, Taichi and Arata are childhood friends, bound by their passion for "competitive karuta." They part ways after graduating from elementary school, but Chihaya continues to play the game that Arata taught her, in the hopes of one day showing him how strong a player she has become. Chihaya and Taichi are reunited in high school, and together, they form the "Competitive Karuta Club" to train and compete in the national championship. "If we make it to the Nationals, we may see Arata again!" Despite knowing how Chihaya feels about Arata, Taichi supports her club... The heartfelt emotions and passions of Chihaya, Taichi, Arata and the members of the Mizusawa High School Competitive Karuta Club are coming to you on the big screen.

CREDITS CHIHAYAFURU Part.1 Japanese Title: ????? -???- (Chihayafuru -Kami no Ku-) Literal Translation: Chihayafuru -First Part of a Poem- Japanese Theatrical Release: Saturday, March 19, 2016 (Nationwide Roadshow) Running Time: 111 Minutes Screen Size: 1.85:1

CHIHAYAFURU Part.2 Japanese Title: ????? -???- (Chihayafuru -Shimo no Ku-) Literal Translation: Chihayafuru -Last Part of a Poem- Japanese Theatrical Release: Friday, April 29, 2016 (Nationwide Roadshow) Running Time: 102 Minutes Screen Size: 1.85:1

Cast Chihaya Ayase: Suzu Hirose Taichi Mashima: Shuhei Nomura Arata Wataya: Mackenyu Kanade Ooe: Mone Kamishiraishi Yusei Nishida: Yuma Yamoto Tsutomu Komano: Yuki Morinaga Akihito Sudo: Hiroya Shimizu Shinobu Wakamiya: Mayu Matsuoka Taeko Miyauchi: Miyuki Matsuda Hideo Harada: Jun Kunimura Hiro Kinashi: Ryotaro Sakaguchi Chihaya Ayase (Young): Kokoro Kuge Taichi Mashima (Young): Eru Yamada Hajime Wataya: Masane Tsukayama Chihaya`s Sister: Alice Hirose Staff Director & Screenplay: Nori Koizumi Original Story: Chihayafuru by Yuki Suetsugu (published in Kodansha`s BE?LOVE magazine) Planning and Production: Naoaki Kitajima General Producer: Seiji Okuda Executive Producers: Daisuke Kadoya, Oyahiro Ando Line Producer: Yuji Saito Cinematographer: Hiroo Yanagida VFX Producer: Satoshi Akabane Music: Masaru Yokoyama Theme Song: "FLASH" by Perfume Theme Song Writer: Yasutaka Nakata (CAPSULE), courtesy of Universal Music Production: “Chihayafuru” Film Partners (Nippon Television Network, Toho, Kodansha, ROBOT, Yomiuri Telecasting, Dentsu, East Japan Marketing & Communications, KDDI, GYAO!, STV, MMT, SDT, CTV, HTV, FBS, FBC) Production: ROBOT Distributor: Toho Planning, World Sales: Nippon Television © 2016 “Chihayafuru” Film Partners © Yuki Suetsugu / KODANSHA LTD.

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About the Fantasia International Film Festival

Since its inception in 1996, the Fantasia International Film Festival is now recognized as the largest and most influential event of its kind in North America, a leader on the genre film scene and one of the country’s most popular film festivals. With a varied programming and an emphasis on the imaginative cinema of Asia, Europe and the Americas, Fantasia’s offerings range from unique and powerful personal visions to international commercial crowd-pleasers rarely seen in North America.

About Toho Company. Ltd.

Founded in 1932 and headquartered in Tokyo, Toho Company, Ltd. is one of the leading entertainment conglomerates in Japan. Toho is best known worldwide as the producer of twenty-nine Godzilla motion pictures, based upon a character the company unleashed on the world back in 1954, and masterpiece films directed by Akira Kurosawa. Toho has been the number one distributor of motion pictures in Japan for twelve consecutive years since 2003. The company is also, throughout Japan, the leading producer of theatrical works and one of the largest owners of office buildings and theaters.

About Nippon Television Network Corporation

Established in 1952, Nippon Television Network Corporation (Nippon TV) is the first commercial broadcaster to launch in Japan with 29 affiliated stations throughout Japan and 11 overseas news bureaus. As a broadcaster, Nippon TV produces highly acclaimed programs with its in-house production/ technical teams for the terrestrial and satellite channels and uses its diverse multi-media functions for merchandising, home video, live events, internet business, international TV distribution and others. Nippon TV has invested in many films such as Studio Ghibli films, and recently plays a main role in film producing. Our titles include phenomenal blockbuster DEATH NOTE, GANTZ and director Takashi Miike’s 2013 Cannes Film Festival Competition title SHIELD OF STRAW. In addition to live action features, Nippon TV has some exciting animation titles such as the EVANGELION series and world-wide acclaimed director Mamoru Hosoda’s WOLF CHILDREN and THE BOY AND THE BEAST.