After his quiet, moving drama “Small, Slow, but Steady” (2022) based on the autobiographical book by Keiko Ogasawara about her life as the first professional boxer with disability in this sport, Japanese helmer Sho Miyake is back on the international festival track with another little marvel of a film “All The Long Nights”. Just like its predecessor, the film had its world premiere at the Berlinale to critical acclaim. Another thing they have in common is that “All The Long Nights” is also based on a (eponymous) novel by Maiko Seo (published in 2020), adapted into a screenplay by Wada Kiyoto and the helmer himself.
All The Long Nights screened at Red Lotus Asian Film Festival Vienna
In a sense, the premises of both films are comparable: people coming to terms with their specific health-related conditions and living their lives to the best. This time, in focus are a young woman with...
All The Long Nights screened at Red Lotus Asian Film Festival Vienna
In a sense, the premises of both films are comparable: people coming to terms with their specific health-related conditions and living their lives to the best. This time, in focus are a young woman with...
- 5/1/2024
- by Marina D. Richter
- AsianMoviePulse
Shô Miyake’s All the Long Nights is a film about small things: decency, kindness, why people help each other out, how those acts can inspire others. The first character we meet is Misa (Mone Kamishiraishi), a sensitive type who suffers from premenstrual syndrome. In the opening scene, this causes Misa to lose her cool at work, and while the situation is smoothed over, she quits out of shame. Leaving the city, she lands a gig in a suburban company, assembling astronomical sets, and meets Takatoshi (Hokuto Matsumura), a young, panic attack-prone man who recently left a job under similar circumstances. After an initial misunderstanding, their orbits align into something that looks like love but never skews romantic.
If that all sounds a bit saccharine, bear with it: in Miyake’s previous film, Small, Slow But Steady, the director took the autobiography of Keiko Ogasawara, a hearing-impaired female boxer, and...
If that all sounds a bit saccharine, bear with it: in Miyake’s previous film, Small, Slow But Steady, the director took the autobiography of Keiko Ogasawara, a hearing-impaired female boxer, and...
- 3/21/2024
- by Rory O'Connor
- The Film Stage
Nobody is broken in Shô Miyake’s films; nobody is quite beyond repair. But over the course of his last few features, the Japanese director has centered characters who are at at least mildly sprained, and trying hard to get by on hope and a homemade splint. In his previous movie, “Small Slow But Steady” — a title that incidentally could be a manifesto for Miyake’s soft, low-key style — a deaf female amateur boxer battled self-doubt and the looming closure of her beloved gym. And his new film, “All the Long Nights” offers a similar kind of balm, this time focusing on a young woman whose major challenge comes from debilitating Pms. It’s an affliction rarely described with this much compassion, when it is mentioned at all outside its regular context as the lazy punchline to a thousand sexist jokes.
Here it is treated with a sensitivity that does...
Here it is treated with a sensitivity that does...
- 3/3/2024
- by Jessica Kiang
- Variety Film + TV
Sony’s “Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse” swung back to pole position atop the U.K. and Ireland box office, dethroning Warner Bros.’ “The Flash” in the process.
In its fourth weekend, “Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse” collected £1.99 million ($2.5 million) for a total of £23.4 million, according to numbers from Comscore. In its second weekend, “The Flash” took £1.3 million for a total of £6.7 million.
Sony’s “No Hard Feelings” bowed in third place with £1.18 million, while Universal’s “Asteroid City” debuted close behind in fourth position with £1.17 million.
Rounding off the top five was Disney’s “The Little Mermaid,” which earned £1.08 million in its fifth weekend for a total of £23.7 million.
The big release this week is “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” with Harrison Ford back for one last crack of the whip. Disney is releasing the film, which also stars Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Mads Mikkelsen, wide across more than 300 locations.
In its fourth weekend, “Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse” collected £1.99 million ($2.5 million) for a total of £23.4 million, according to numbers from Comscore. In its second weekend, “The Flash” took £1.3 million for a total of £6.7 million.
Sony’s “No Hard Feelings” bowed in third place with £1.18 million, while Universal’s “Asteroid City” debuted close behind in fourth position with £1.17 million.
Rounding off the top five was Disney’s “The Little Mermaid,” which earned £1.08 million in its fifth weekend for a total of £23.7 million.
The big release this week is “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” with Harrison Ford back for one last crack of the whip. Disney is releasing the film, which also stars Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Mads Mikkelsen, wide across more than 300 locations.
- 6/27/2023
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Inspired by the autobiographical book “Makenaide!” by Keiko Ogasawara, the first hearing-impaired professional woman boxer, Small, Slow But Steady is a moving character study powered by an unforgettable performance from rising star Yukino Kishii.
Keiko is a young pro boxer with a hearing impairment. Although boxing is a real challenge for her, the club she belongs to is like a second home. After surprising everyone by winning her first two professional fights, she soon learns that the club chairman, the only person who had believed in her as a boxer, is plagued by health issues and the gym is about to shut its doors for good. Confused about what the future holds, Keiko prepares for her third professional bout but perhaps the biggest challenge she faces is trying to understand the true nature of her will to fight.
Small, Slow But Steady is a one-of-a-kind sports film with a raw...
Keiko is a young pro boxer with a hearing impairment. Although boxing is a real challenge for her, the club she belongs to is like a second home. After surprising everyone by winning her first two professional fights, she soon learns that the club chairman, the only person who had believed in her as a boxer, is plagued by health issues and the gym is about to shut its doors for good. Confused about what the future holds, Keiko prepares for her third professional bout but perhaps the biggest challenge she faces is trying to understand the true nature of her will to fight.
Small, Slow But Steady is a one-of-a-kind sports film with a raw...
- 5/22/2023
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
What a week! After six days filled with Asian cinema, community events, special guests and food at Studio/K, Rialto De Pijp, and Rialto Vu, we concluded the 15th edition of CinemAsia Film Festival on Sunday 12 March with the award ceremony and the screening of the Hong Kong super star filled film Where the Wind Blows 風再起時.
During the festival, jury members Martijn te Pas, Suzanne van Voorst and Taiki Saksipit gathered to watch the competition programme to present their conclusions at the closing night award ceremony and announce the winner of the 2023 CinemAsia Jury Award.
CinemAsia's Competition program puts the spotlights on emerging, independent filmmakers placing them side-by-side with established makers of high-quality mainstream films. Each film represents a strong cinematographic and artistic vision. These films highlight the richness in themes and genres Asian cinema has to offer and reflect a complex kaleidoscope of cultural, social and political...
During the festival, jury members Martijn te Pas, Suzanne van Voorst and Taiki Saksipit gathered to watch the competition programme to present their conclusions at the closing night award ceremony and announce the winner of the 2023 CinemAsia Jury Award.
CinemAsia's Competition program puts the spotlights on emerging, independent filmmakers placing them side-by-side with established makers of high-quality mainstream films. Each film represents a strong cinematographic and artistic vision. These films highlight the richness in themes and genres Asian cinema has to offer and reflect a complex kaleidoscope of cultural, social and political...
- 3/17/2023
- by Adam Symchuk
- AsianMoviePulse
Ishikawa Kei’s drama “A Man” took eight prizes at the 46th Japan Academy Film Prize ceremony, held on Friday at the Grand Prince Hotel New Takawana in Tokyo. The film, premiered at last year’s Venice Film Festival in the Horizons section, had been nominated for 13 awards in 12 categories.
In addition to the best picture award, Ishikawa won best director, while the film’s writer Mukai Kosuke won best screenplay, and its star Tsumabuchi Satoshi won best actor. In “A Man,” Satoshi plays a Korean lawyer who goes on a search for the truth about a man, killed in an accident, who was living under false identity.
Best supporting actor went to Kubota Masataka for his portrayal of the mystery man, while Ando Sakura took best supporting actress her performance as his wife. The film also won best sound recording and best editing honors.
In his speech on receiving the best director award,...
In addition to the best picture award, Ishikawa won best director, while the film’s writer Mukai Kosuke won best screenplay, and its star Tsumabuchi Satoshi won best actor. In “A Man,” Satoshi plays a Korean lawyer who goes on a search for the truth about a man, killed in an accident, who was living under false identity.
Best supporting actor went to Kubota Masataka for his portrayal of the mystery man, while Ando Sakura took best supporting actress her performance as his wife. The film also won best sound recording and best editing honors.
In his speech on receiving the best director award,...
- 3/10/2023
- by Mark Schilling
- Variety Film + TV
One of the prestigious national cinema awards in Japan presented by the Association of Tokyo Film Journalists, the 65th edition of the Blue Ribbon Awards announced its winners on February 24, 2023. The nominees are selected from movies released in 2022 within the Tokyo Metropolitan Area. Leading with 6 nominations, A Man by Kei Ishikawa, wins Best Film while Plan 75 by Chie Hayakawa picks up Best Director and Best Actress for Chieko Baisho. The full list of winners is described below.
Best Film
A Man
Kingdom 2: To Distant Lands
Small, Slow But Steady
Missing
Silent Parade
Dr Coto’s Clinic
Plan 75
Motherhood
Fragments of the Last Will
Wandering
A Man Best Director
Kei Ishikawa – A Man
Shinzo Katayama – Missing
Takahisa Zeze – Tombi: Father and Son; Fragments of the Last Will
Chie Hayakawa – Plan 75
Ryuichi Hiroki – 2 Women, Motherhood; Phases of the Moon
Best Actor
Sadao Abe – Lesson in Murder; I am...
Best Film
A Man
Kingdom 2: To Distant Lands
Small, Slow But Steady
Missing
Silent Parade
Dr Coto’s Clinic
Plan 75
Motherhood
Fragments of the Last Will
Wandering
A Man Best Director
Kei Ishikawa – A Man
Shinzo Katayama – Missing
Takahisa Zeze – Tombi: Father and Son; Fragments of the Last Will
Chie Hayakawa – Plan 75
Ryuichi Hiroki – 2 Women, Motherhood; Phases of the Moon
Best Actor
Sadao Abe – Lesson in Murder; I am...
- 2/28/2023
- by Suzie Cho
- AsianMoviePulse
Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan (Aca) announces the sixth Aca Cinema Project series – New Films from Japan – organized as part of its Japan Film Overseas Expansion Enhancement Project in collaboration with the IFC Center and with Visual Industry Promotion Organization (Vipo) entrusted with the operation of the project. This edition of the program will present four films that have made an impact, received critical acclaim, and won awards at film festivals around the world over the course of the past year.
Screening at the IFC Center on February 10-16, the lineup will include Kei Ishikawa’s A Man, Shô Miyake’s Small, Slow but Steady, Nao Kubota’s Thousand and One Nights, Yuji Nakae’s The Zen Diary, and Juichiro Yamasaki’s Yamabuki.
New Films from Japan series is the latest presentation of the Aca Cinema Project, representing the buzzworthy films of contemporary Japanese screen entertainment and highlighting...
Screening at the IFC Center on February 10-16, the lineup will include Kei Ishikawa’s A Man, Shô Miyake’s Small, Slow but Steady, Nao Kubota’s Thousand and One Nights, Yuji Nakae’s The Zen Diary, and Juichiro Yamasaki’s Yamabuki.
New Films from Japan series is the latest presentation of the Aca Cinema Project, representing the buzzworthy films of contemporary Japanese screen entertainment and highlighting...
- 2/9/2023
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
Miyake Sho’s female-led boxing drama “Small, Slow, But Steady” has been named the best Japanese film of 2022 by Kinema Junpo magazine. This honor has been awarded annually since 1924 and is considered the Japanese industry’s most prestigious.
Kishii Yukino, who starred as a struggling deaf boxer, claimed the best actress award, while Miura Tomokazu, who played her supportive, but unsparingly, honest gym manager, was named best supporting actor. Finally, Miyake was voted the year’s best Japanese director in a readers’ poll.
The film premiered in the Berlin festival’s Encounters section last year. It later played widely on the festival circuit, including at China’s Pingyao festival where it won the gala-audience prize.
Among other awards, Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Licorice Pizza” was named best foreign film, while veteran Takahashi Banmei won the best director prize and Kajiwara Aki the best screenplay award for the drama “No Place to Go” about a middle-aged woman driven to homelessness during the pandemic.
Kishii Yukino, who starred as a struggling deaf boxer, claimed the best actress award, while Miura Tomokazu, who played her supportive, but unsparingly, honest gym manager, was named best supporting actor. Finally, Miyake was voted the year’s best Japanese director in a readers’ poll.
The film premiered in the Berlin festival’s Encounters section last year. It later played widely on the festival circuit, including at China’s Pingyao festival where it won the gala-audience prize.
Among other awards, Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Licorice Pizza” was named best foreign film, while veteran Takahashi Banmei won the best director prize and Kajiwara Aki the best screenplay award for the drama “No Place to Go” about a middle-aged woman driven to homelessness during the pandemic.
- 2/2/2023
- by Mark Schilling
- Variety Film + TV
The year is 2020, but according to the autobiographical book it is based on, the ‘monogatari’ of Sho Miyake’s truly impressive drama “Small, Slow but Steady” should be set in the 2010’s. Looking at it, this is not the only trick the audience falls for – the film’s beginning fools you into believing that you are watching a real deal, a documentary about the female boxer Keiko Ogasawara (Yukino Kishii) who entered history as the first professional with dissability in this sport. This is not only due to the opening cards informing the audience about the main protagonist’s background and her inborn sensorineural hearing loss which resulted in no hearing in either ear, but equally as much by observing her during a long, intense training in the gym. We are additionally told that she became a licenced professional boxer in 2019 with an amazing victory in her first fight. Add...
- 2/26/2022
- by Marina D. Richter
- AsianMoviePulse
Back in 2019 when life was still normal, Sho Miyake came to Berlin with his love drama “And Your Bird Can Sing” that screened in the Panorama section to critical acclaim. The film was praised for many things including its dreamy photography but then again – Hidetoshi Shinomiya was behind it, the same cinematographer who gave the extra touch to Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Oscar-nominated drama “Drive My Car”.
Although primarily known for his live-action movies, Sho Miyake was always interested in documentary filmmaking.There was “Cockpit” (2015), a film about rapper Omsb creating a new song with his friends followed by the documentary ”Experience in Material No. 58 / A Return Of Bruno Taut 2016” about the architect Ryoji Suzuki and his body of work, which they co-directed together. The love for documentaries is very visible in his latest title “Small, Slow but Steady”, a film based on the life of the former boxing champion Keiko Ogasawara who was born deaf,...
Although primarily known for his live-action movies, Sho Miyake was always interested in documentary filmmaking.There was “Cockpit” (2015), a film about rapper Omsb creating a new song with his friends followed by the documentary ”Experience in Material No. 58 / A Return Of Bruno Taut 2016” about the architect Ryoji Suzuki and his body of work, which they co-directed together. The love for documentaries is very visible in his latest title “Small, Slow but Steady”, a film based on the life of the former boxing champion Keiko Ogasawara who was born deaf,...
- 2/25/2022
- by Marina D. Richter
- AsianMoviePulse
Not since Alfred Hitchcock’s 1927 silent “The Ring” has there been a boxing film quite so quiet as “Small, Slow But Steady,” a gentle but hard-edged study of a flyweight female pugilist in suburban Tokyo. More concerned with the wear and tear of everyday life than pummeling sound and fury, director Shô Miyake’s measured, unsentimental adaptation of a memoir by Keiko Ogasawara — who turned professional despite the difficulties of lifelong deafness — turns out to be somewhat aptly described by its own title, though none of those adjectives quite conveys its rare and delicate grace. A highlight of the Encounters program at this year’s Berlinale, this unassuming gem should turn the heads of specialist distributors and further festival programmers, despite its general avoidance of crowd-courting tactics.
In adapting Ogasawara’s book “Makenaide!” — which translates, with an imperative urgency the film doesn’t share, as “Do Not Lose!” — Miyake and...
In adapting Ogasawara’s book “Makenaide!” — which translates, with an imperative urgency the film doesn’t share, as “Do Not Lose!” — Miyake and...
- 2/24/2022
- by Guy Lodge
- Variety Film + TV
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