Actress Saki Takaoka has found her entry into Hollywood. Her management agency Avex brought several of its stars to the Cannes Film Festival to throw a 20th anniversary party for the company, and during the event it was announced that Takaoka will star in the U.S.-Japan production "The Harimaya Bridge," directed by Aaron Woolfolk and produced by Danny Glover.

"The Harimaya Bridge" is set in the Kochi Prefecture. Bennet Guillory plays an American father whose only son died while living in Japan, and he travels there to trace his son's life. Takaoka plays the woman who was engaged to the son. She will deliver her lines in both Kochi-ben and in English, having recently finished additional studies of the latter in the U.S., as well as picking up a little from her two sons, who are both attending international school.

Glover had recommended the actress for the part after seeing some of her work. Glover himself also appears in the film, along with Misa Shimizu. According to IMDb, the cast also includes Miho Ninagawa, Honoka, and Miho Shiraishi.

The movie will be shot on location in Kochi this June, then will move to San Francisco in July. Theatrical release is set for 2009. Distribution offers have already come in from more than 20 countries.