Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s Thriller ‘Cloud,’ Set to Premiere at Venice, Debuts Trailer, Minerva Takes Italian Rights (EXCLUSIVE)

As a lifelong cinephile who’s had the privilege of witnessing the evolution of Japanese cinema, I must say Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s latest offering, “Cloud,” promises to be a chilling addition to his impressive body of work. Having followed Kurosawa’s career since his Un Certain Regard jury prize for “Tokyo Sonata” in 2008, I can confidently say that his exploration of modern-day societal issues through the lens of suspense and horror is a unique and captivating approach.


Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s suspenseful movie titled “Cloud” is making its first appearance in a non-competing slot at the Venice Film Festival. Here’s a sneak peek of its trailer below. The international distribution rights have been acquired by Nikkatsu, while Minerva has secured the Italian distribution privileges for this intriguing film.

Akira Kurosawa has been awarded several festive accolades, such as the Cannes Film Festival’s Un Certain Regard jury prize for “Tokyo Sonata” (2008), the best director award in Un Certain Regard category for “Journey to the Shore” (2015), and the Silver Lion award for best direction at the Venice Film Festival for “Wife of a Spy” (2020).

Six years ago, Kurosawa was on the lookout for a topic for an action movie, and his gaze turned towards the digital realm. He remarked: “In the shadowy corners of contemporary Japan, unexpected acts of violence occasionally erupt. Upon investigation, it becomes clear that there’s a system at play where minor grievances and irritations are gradually amplified by the internet until they explode.”

The story revolves around Ryosuke Yoshii, portrayed by Masaki Suda, who holds down a job at a factory and supplements his income by reselling goods under the alias “Ratel.” He trades in medical devices, handbags, figurines, you name it – anything that promises profit. Buy low, sell high. Leaving his day job behind, Yoshii and his girlfriend, Akiko, played by Kotone Furukawa, relocate to a lakeside house away from the city, aiming to start anew. With Sano, a local youth hired as assistance, Yoshii’s reselling business seems to thrive until strange occurrences begin to happen in his vicinity: mysterious vehicles cruising around, a shattered window, ominous shadows lurking, and malicious online messages… a whirlwind of hostility intensifies, eventually materializing as a deranged mob. The object of their wrath is Yoshii.

Yumi Arakawa, the film’s producer, remarks: “In today’s contemporary Japan, it seems that society is moving towards increasingly perilous paths. Instances where unchecked anger and irrationality stemming from a lack of empathy suddenly escalate are becoming more frequent. Baffling acts of violence emerge from deep-seated resentment. People are targeted through social media. It wouldn’t be shocking if someone you know, or even a stranger to you, fell victim to an attacker lurking nearby.”

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2024-08-21 21:16