100 Yen Love
32-year-old Ichiko (Sakura Ando, Shoplifters) lives at home in self-indulgent grunginess with her parents and recently divorced younger sister. One morning, after a particularly heated argument, Ichiko decides to leave for good. With few options to support herself, she finds a job at a 100 yen shop (dollar store). Each day on her way home from work Ichiko passes a boxing gym where she watches Yuji Kano (Hirofumi Arai) silently practice. The two make plans to see each other, and suddenly life starts to change for Ichiko... At last, the bell rings, and this longtime loser's rematch with life begins!
Japan's official entry for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar, Masaharu Take's 100 YEN LOVE had its world premiere at the Tokyo International Film Festival where it won the Japanese Cinema Splash Best Picture Award.
Cast
- Sakura Andô
- Hirofumi Arai
- "The film is a total underdog story that largely relies on Ando and she gives, hands down, the best performance of the year here."
- "An exceptional performance from Ando Sakura leads this comedy turned boxing drama...."
- "At the risk of overstatement, Ando is that rare performer worthy of comparison to Japan’s all-time greatest actor, Toshiro Mifune...."
- "In this darkly comedic commentary on Japan's sexism and achievement-oriented society, Ichiko (played wonderfully by Ando Sakura) ranks as one of the most unlikely film heroines."
- "A hugely entertaining yet emotionally draining experience, 100 Yen Love takes its audience from hilarious highs to tear-inducing lows. ... An adrenaline-fuelled euphoria."
- "Another splendid sample of Japanese indie cinema...."
Awards & Recognition
Splash Best Picture Award
Tokyo Int'l. Film Festival
Best Actress
Awards of the Japanese Academy
Best Screenplay
Awards of the Japanese Academy
Best Actress
Kinema Junpo Awards
Best Film
Award of the Japanese Academy
Best Director
Award of the Japanese Academy
Rotterdam Film Festival
Vancouver Int'l. Film Festival