Tokyo, November 12, 2019 - SDP, Inc. will release a biographical film "HOKUSAI" depicting the extraordinary life of world-renowned Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai in early summer of 2020 in Japan. The film will be successively distributed all over the world (SDP acts as the distributor). Image of
: "The Great Wave in Kanagawa" (The Great Wave)
His Ukiyo-e works have influenced many Western artists such as Vincent Van Gogh, Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, etc. Therefore, he played an important role in Japaneseism in the 19th century in Europe and had a significant influence on Western modern art. He was rated as one of the "100 celebrities who influenced the world in the millennium" by Life magazine. His outstanding masterpiece "Kanagawa Surfing" was sold at an auction in New York in 2017 for a high price of approximately US$1 million, reflecting His eternal influence on the whole world.
Picture: English poster
Picture: Japanese poster
The film tells the unknown story of Hokusai who established new standards and pursued freedom. He was nearly 90 years old. He created the classic painting "Thirty-six Views of Mount Lao" after he was more than 70 years old. At that time, entertainment was considered depraved, and artists were severely oppressed by the feudal government. Despite the hardships of the world, it is said that he still insisted on creating more than 30,000 works during his long career.
Although Hokusai is a household art genius, his life is not fully known. This film uses a lot of historical materials to present a new story with a unique perspective and interpretation. The story revolves around the relationship between the famous artist and two key figures. One of them is the publisher Tsutaya Juzaburo, who discovered and awakened the talents of Hokusai in his youth; the other is popular. Ryutei Tanehiko (Ryutei Tanehiko), a story writer and Hokusai’s old age partner.
Yuya Yagira, who won the Best Actor Award for "Nobody Knows" (directed by Hirokazu Koreeda) at the 57th Cannes Film Festival, will play Hokusai, a restless youth. The international dancer Min Tanaka, who made his overseas debut at the Louvre Museum, will play Hokusai, an enlightened and open-minded man in his old age. In addition, many outstanding Japanese actors will also join this film.
2020 will be the 260th anniversary of Hokusai’s birth. Many events will be held around the world to showcase Japanese culture. As a celebrity, Hokusai's life and his works of art will surely illuminate the world.
official website:
(C) 2020 Katsushika Hokusai biography film
