Special Screenings

Japan / 2018 / 116 min.
Director: CHIKAURA Kei

CHEN Liang has come from China's Henan Province to work in Japan as a technical trainee, but runs away from his place of training and becomes an illegal resident. While lying to his mother back home that he is continuing his training, Liang has been involved in for-hire larceny. In an unexpected turn of events, he takes on another's identity and is taken in by a small soba restaurant in Yamagata where he begins to work.... The feature length debut by CHIKAURA Kei, who has directed a number of short films praised at international film festivals, deals with the social problem of technical trainees from overseas. Playing CHEN Liang is LU Yulai who made a striking debut in GU Changwei's "Peacock" (2003). FUJI Tatsuya turns in a great performance as the stern soba restaurant proprietor. World premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.