Ken Mitsuishi to star in Yuya Ishii’s “Azemichi no Dandy”

Actor Ken Mitsuishi (48), who has appeared in countless supporting roles in film and television, has been given the lead role in a new picture from rising director Yuya Ishii (27). The role will be Mitsuishi’s first true starring role in a movie since his acting debut in the 1978 manga-to-film adaptation “Hakatakko Junjo.”

Ishii has been making a name for himself since his debut five years ago. In 2008, he received the Edward Yang New Talent Award at the 2nd Asian Film Awards. Last year, his “Kawa no Soko Kara Konnichiwa” (“Sawako Decides”) was selected as the 19th PFF Scholarship Film, and it went on to earn Best Feature Film and Best Actress (Hikari Mitsushima) at this year’s Fantasia Film Festival in Montreal.

Ishii’s new piece is titled “Azemichi no Dandy,” for which he also wrote the screenplay. Set in a city in Kita-Kanto, the film tells the story of a 50-year-old man (Mitsuishi) working at a delivery company. His wife died fifteen years earlier, so he has been single-handedly raising their two children – a son who is currently a ronin student and a daughter who is in her third year of high school. For their sake, he boldly puts on appearances as a middle-aged dandy.

Mitsuishi’s supporting cast includes Ryu Morioka and Ryo Iwamatsu. Filming is scheduled to start in October, with a target release date in 2011.

Source:
Sports Hochi