The Cannes trailer and poster visual for ‘DESERT OF NAMIBIA,’ an official selection of the 77th Cannes International Film Festival’s Directors’ Fortnight, have been released. Additional cast members have also been announced.
This is the first full-fledged feature film by Yoko Yamanaka, who shot and directed her first film “Amiko” at the young age of 19, which was highly acclaimed and won the Audience Award at the “PFF Award 2017.” Yumi Kawai, who has appeared in numerous films such as ‘A Balance’ and ‘It’s a Summer Film!,’ and is scheduled to release ‘A Girl Named Ann’ in June, plays Kana, the 21-year-old protagonist who has no passion for anything and feels that even love is just a way to kill time. Kawai had an episode when she was a student in which she saw “Amiko” and decided she wanted to become an actress, and went directly to director Yamanaka to tell him that she would like to appear in the film someday.
The additional cast members include Daichi Kaneko as Hayashi, a confident creator who gradually deepens his relationship with Kana; Kanichiro as Honda, Kana’s live-in lover who takes care of her personal needs; and Yuzumi Shintani, Ayumi Nakajima, Erika Karata, and Ayaka Shibutani. Comments from Kaneko and Kanichiro accompanied the announcement.
I really feel how blessed I am to have been able to work with director Yamanaka, whom I had hoped to work with someday, and a wonderful cast and crew including Mr. Kawai, and to be able to show this film to the world at Cannes. I can’t stop being excited that as many people as possible will be able to see this film at Cannes. I hope that this film, which is very important to me, will reach as many people as possible. Thank you very much for your kind attention!
Daichi Kaneko
Raw, surreal, cynical, but charming. The director, screenplay, actors, and staff are all wonderful. I think it is a film that has never existed before. And I am happy to hear that the film will be screened at the Cannes Film Festival. I am looking forward to seeing how people overseas will react to today’s Japanese youth’s view of love and the development of the story.
Kanichiro
The Cannes poster shows the back of Kana against a pink background, with the English title ‘DESERT OF NAMIBIA’ in a fingerprint-like pattern. The Cannes trailer shows Kana running at full speed, her smile ready to burst, and her energy on the verge of exploding.
‘DESERT OF NAMIBIA’ is scheduled for release in 2024. The 77th Cannes International Film Festival will be held in Cannes, France from Tuesday, May 14 to Saturday, May 25 (local time), and Yamanaka, Kawai, Kaneko, and Kanichiro will attend.
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