Kikujiro
a TAKESHI KITANO picture
Synopsis
Lonely nine-year-old Masao has no one to play with. He lives alone with his grandmother, who is often away at work. One day Masao chances upon his absent mother’s address and decides to go looking for her, despite his lack of money and her living in a distant city. Shortly after starting his journey, Masao runs into one of his grandmother’s friends who insists that her indolent, loud-mouthed husband, Kikujiro, a former yakuza put out to pasture, a petty thief and an avid gambler, accompany the boy. The two unlikely companions head off on an oddball and zany journey and along the way link up with some very unlikely comical playmates…
Stills
Press
"A heart-tugger made totally irresistible because of the combination of Kitano’s wry, sly sense of humor and his rigorous detachment."
LOS ANGELES TIMES
"Kitano gives an inspired demonstration of muddle-headed, short-fused deadpan…there are no deep messages here, just dream sequences, unexpected revelations and several achingly funny set pieces. A gem from a genius."
BBC RADIO TIMES
"Shot and cut in the distinctive Kitano style, the film has great spontaneity. The comedy elements bring the author’s two personae, writer/director Takeshi Kitano and TV comedian ‘Beat’ Takeshi, closer together than ever before."
TIME OUT
Festivals
& Awards
Cannes International Film Festival
In Competition
Toronto International Film Festival
Locarno Film Festival
Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
Valladolid International Film Festival
Fipresci Award
Best Director
Best Actor
Awards of the Japanese Academy
Best Supporting Actress
Best Musical Score
Russian Guild of Film Critics
Nominee
Pusan International Film Festival)
Rotterdam Film Festival
Cast & Crew
| Takeshi Kitano | |
|---|---|
| Yusuke Sekiguchi | |
| Kayoko Kishimoto | |
| Kazuko Yoshiyuiki |
| Directed, Written and Edited by | Takeshi Kitano |
|---|---|
| Producers | Masayuki Mori, Takio Yoshida |
| Line Producer | Shinji Komiya |
| Associate Producers | Naoyuki Sakagami, Kazuhiro Furukawa, |
| Kazumi Kawashiro | |
| Cinematographer | Katsumi Yanagishima |
| Co-Editor | Yoshinori Ota |
| Production Manager | Akira Yamamoto |
| Music | Joe Hisaishi |
| Sound | Senji Horiuchi , Akira Nakano |
Releases