By Liz Lopez
Takashi Miike received the Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s Fantastic Fest after the screening of his film, “First Love,” that had a World Premiere at Cannes 2019 (Directors’ Fortnight) and a North American Premiere at TIFF this year as well. He has directed more than 100 features between the late 90s and 2019.
“First Love” (Hatsukoi) stars Masataka Kubota (“13 Assassins”), Shôta Sometani (“Tokyo Tribe”),and Nao Otomo (“Ichi The Killer”). Miike directs the film from the script by screenwriter Masaru Nakamura (“Bird People in China,” “Sukiyaki Western Django”). The film contains great music by composer Koji Endo (“13 Assassins,” “Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai”) and the superb cinematography is by his director of photography, Nobuyasu Kita (“13 Assassins,” “Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai”).
The script is very entertaining as it has an unexpected romance between a young boxer and a young girl who has been forced into prostitution. There is a drug-smuggling scheme that begins to not go as planned in Tokyo.
Japan / 108 minutes / Color / Japanese / Not Yet Rated
The film opens in NY & LA on September 27th and will expand nationally from October 4th.
Photo Credit: Jack Plunkett/Fantastic Fest
Source: Well Go USA, Fantastic Fest