The 18th edition of the Osaka Asian Film Festival (OAFF 2023) will close with “Side by Side”, the second feature film from veteran screenwriter ITO Chihiro.
After a career of writing hit films like “Crying Out Love in the Center of the World”, ITO Chihiro makes her second film as director, “Side by Side”, a drama with a magical realist twist that follows a young man who can sense the thoughts of other people. Produced by award-winning director YUKISADA Isao, it features leading star SAKAGUCHI Kentaro, together with an excellent cast that includes SAITO Asuka, ASAKA Kodai, ISOMURA Ameri, and ICHIKAWA Mikako.
STORY
MIYAMA (SAKAGUCHI Kentaro) is a mysterious young man with the ability to sense the thoughts of other people. These thoughts sometimes take the form of a spirit that haunts MIYAMA. With this power, he can detect and heal people suffering from physical ailments and emotional traumas. He does this while living a quiet life with his girlfriend Shiori (ICHIKAWA Mikako), a nurse, and her daughter Mimi (ISOMURA Ameri). While locals accept him, the mystery of his background lingers and it all comes out when he confronts the thoughts of KUSAKA (ASAKA Kodai), who was his junior in high school, now working as a musician in Tokyo. MIYAMA's meeting with KUSAKA reunites him with his ex-girlfriend Riko (SAITO Asuka), a woman who is part of the past that he ran away from.
ABOUT THE CAST AND CREW
ITO Chihiro began her film career as art department staff in charge of props before she met YUKISADA Isao who invited her to write a screenplay for his film “Seventh Anniversary” (2003). Immediately after her writing debut, she worked on screenplays for a string of live-action films and anime, including mega-hit “Crying Out Love in the Center of the World” (2004) and OSHII Mamoru's “The Sky Crawlers” (2008). Recently, she has worked under the pen name HORIZUMI Anne on YUKISADA's films “Narratage” (2017) and “The Cornered Mouse Dreams of Cheese” (2020). In 2022, she debuted as a director with “In Her Room”. It was produced by YUKISADA Isao and played in the Nippon Cinema Now section at the Tokyo International Film Festival 2022. On top of writing screenplays, she has also written for the stage and also a picture book. “Side by Side” is her second film and was shot in the beautiful landscape of Nagano Prefecture.
The main character, MIYAMA, is played by SAKAGUCHI Kentaro, a talented young actor who has risen to leading man status through parts in “Our Little Sister”, “Narratage”, “The Last 10 Years” and “Hell Dogs”, as well as the NHK TV series “Okaeri Mone”. He brings to life the mysterious character of MIYAMA with his overwhelming sense of transparency and a backstory that unravels when he comes into contact with people from his past. MIYAMAʻs ex-lover, Riko, is played by SAITO Asuka, who made her screen debut as the heroine in the Japanese remake of the Taiwanese film “You Are the Apple of My Eye”, and more recently appeared in the live-action adaptation of “Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!”. This is her first film since announcing her graduation from the idol group Nogizaka46, and she brings a new level of charm to the role. They are given top support from ASAKA Kodai, who has appeared in “Theater”, and ICHIKAWA Mikako, a veteran actor who has appeared in “Rent-a-cat”, “Shin Godzilla” and “A Girl Missing”.
“Side by Side” has its World Premiere screening at OAFF on Sunday, March 19 before it opens theatrically in Japan on April 14.
