Presented by Japan Foundation
Tatsumi
Directed by Hiroshi Shoji
Hosted by Director Shoji Hiroshi
Official selection
Tokyo International Film Festival 2023
Director
Hiroshi Shoji
Producer
Noboru Suzuki
Writer
Hiroshi Shoji
Cast
Yuya Endo, Kokoro Morita, Goro Sato
Cinematographer
Shuhei Yamamoto
Composer
Yuji Iwamoto, Rina Okade
Editor
Tatsuma Furukawa, Hiroshi Shoji
Production Designer
Kumiko Yoshinaga
contact
NIKKATSU Corporation
Tatsumi works as a fisherman in a small coastal town, but he also has a side job—he’s a “cleaner” for a local drug gang, disposing of the bodies of their victims. After the murder of his ex-girlfriend, her young sister, defiant car mechanic Aoi, seeks revenge and asks Tatsumi for his help. He initially refuses, but he then realizes that he has no choice, and that there is no turning back. Dangerous men are now coming after them, so they must fight for their survival and find redemption within themselves.
After making his debut with the gritty, award-winning feature KEN AND KAZU, director Hiroshi Shoji doesn’t hold anything back in his follow-up TATSUMI. As an independent filmmaker, he was able to make it the movie he always intended it to be. It’s gritty, violent, and brutal, but most importantly, it’s enthralling. His cinematic portrayal of gang life paints a grim and realistic portrait of suffering and cruelty. You know exactly what you’re getting into with a movie like this, and Shoji delivers one of the best and most compelling crime thrillers in a very long time! It’s a riveting, action-packed revenge tale of betrayal and injustice in organized crime, and also reflects on finding true purpose and destiny. Everyone in the cast does a great job, especially Yuya Endo (GODZILLA MINUS ONE) as the titular protagonist and Kokoro Morita (Fantasia 2020’s LIFE: UNTITLED) as Aoi. They both bring depth to their characters, and the bond they have with one another is palpable. After its world premiere at the Tokyo International Film Festival last fall, TATSUMI is now ready to unleash itself on the Fantasia audience! – Steven Lee
Showings
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