On Wednesday, director Takeshi Kitano held a press conference for his latest film, "Achilles to Kame" ("Achilles and the Tortoise," named after one of Zeno's paradoxes). The movie rounds out his self-reflective "trilogy" that began with "Takeshis'" in 2005 and continued with "Kantoku Banzai!" last year.

"Achilles to Kame" documents the life of a painter named Machisu (Kitano) who continues pursuing his dream as an artist despite his lack of success. Kanako Higuchi plays his wife, while Yurei Yanagi and Kumiko Aso play the same couple in their younger years.

According to Kitano, the film is a story depicting the "cruelty" of being an artist, under the idea that someone without talent should face reality and still try their best. He commented that he feels the same way with his own films, continuing to make movies without regard to whether the movie is successful. Kitano also criticized the lack of originality in the current Japanese film industry.

It is said that about 70 of Kitano's own art pieces will appear on screen.

Filming started on February 10 and is due to finish in the middle of this month. Theatrical release has been scheduled for this fall, but Kitano plans to first take the movie to the Venice Film Festival, which runs from August 27 to September 6.