KIM Ki-duk Returns to the Land of the Rising Sun
KIM Ki-duk is set to return to Japan with his 21st feature
Stop when the film goes on theatrical release there in March. The famed auteur’s latest title
THE NET recently served as the opening film of Tokyo Filmex. The Japanese bow of
Stop follows its Korean release which began on December 8th.
Stop premiered last year at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. The low-budget film, which was directed, produced, written, shot and edited by KIM Ki-duk was filmed in its entirety in Japan. The film features NAKAE Tsubasa, HORI Natsuko and TAKEDA Hiromitsu in a tale of a pregnant couple who live in the contaminated region of Fukushima following its nuclear power plant meltdown, and worry about the effect that the fallout may have on their unborn child.
According to director KIM, the genesis of Stop came from his own impressions of the aftermaths of the Chernobyl and Fukushima nuclear disasters. He stated his desire to explore the fear surrounding radiation damage.
Stop has played at several festivals around the world, including the Beijing, Busan and Rio de Janeiro International Film Festivals. The film follows KIM’s long run of festival hits, which include
The Isle (2000),
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter And Spring (2003),
3-Iron (2004) and Venice Golden Lion winner
Pieta (2012).