Comedian and rakugo artist Tsurube Shofukutei will have the lead role in a movie for the first time in his 37-year career. The film is the next project by "Yureru" director Miwa Nishikawa, a human drama titled "Dear Doctor."

Shofukutei plays a gentle, middle-aged doctor running the only clinic in a sparsely-populated area. The villagers all rely on him, but an encounter with a widow (Kaoru Yachigusa) leads to the discovery of a secret from his past.

As this is his first doctor role, Shofukutei is currently preparing for it by studying at a hospital. Filming will start in late July. The movie is scheduled for release in 2009, with a possible premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.