Tsukamoto Shinya’s latest, Killing, is standing pretty well thusfar as it makes the festival rounds from Toronto to Busan and eventually at Sitges in Italy where it won Best Music. Its next stop will be at the Singapore International Film Festival in December following its release next month on November 24.
Killing pivots from Tsukamoto’s more gritty, horrific war perspective, Fires On The Plain, toward more contemplative sword drama centered in the 19th century as trade between U.S. and Japan brings centuries of peace in Japan to an end. At the crux of our story is a traveling ronin, a farmer’s daughter and her brother with whom he spars on occasion, all standing at the precipice of a major turning point in history as war becomes more imminent.
Ikematsu Sosuke stars with actress Aoi Yu, Nakamura Tatsuya, and Tsukamoto himself who plays a dueling samurai who brings a spate of influence to the wartime tale as our principals draw closer to engaging an army of deadly outlaws in their midst.
Nikkatsu is repping the film internationally for sales, so any acquisitions news stateside is still forthcoming. We’ll keep you posted.
