inscrutable are the ways of heaven

A Yusaku Matsumoto film

Music producer banvox

2018|JAPAN|COLOR|DCP|2.35:1|3.0ch|115min. ©movie “Noise” production committee
distributed by Makotoya Co.,Ltd.

– AVAN

Ten years have passed from the Akihabara massacre.
A pop star whose mother was killed in the incident, a teenager who left her home to Akihabara,
a delivery boy who turns his directionless anger to the city.
This is a story about the characters striving to grasp the string of hope within the darkness
surrounding the city, the incident, and the people.

– INTRODUCTION

Akihabara. In 2008, an indiscriminate killing which shocked the whole world was carried out in the street of Akihabara. I was sixteen at the time and shocked. I was motivated by this crime to research many other indiscriminate killings which happened before.

Then I realized that these kind of crimes were committed a lot not just in Japan but everywhere around the world, and that the most of the perpetrators tended to imitate the crimes committed before that they saw in movies or novels containing violent revenge. One of the cases which had a great impact on me was a random killing in Ikebukuro, 1999. The perpetrator, Zouda actually saw himself as the main character of the novel, “A map of a nineteen”. After he was arrested, a note with a passage quoted from the novel was found in his room. I was inspired intensely by this fact. I wondered why do people randomly kill. I wanted to know the reason.

When I was researching one case, I found out that the motive didn’t come from a single reason, but from various factors which were overlapping each other. Even though there were no crucial reasons, things happened by pure coincidence consequently lead to a mass destruction. Who do we blame? Is it the very person who killed with his barehands, or the society around him or her? Or may those who seem to be least involved in the wake of the incident (the victims) be the ones we should blame. The media tend to clarify the reason why the perpetuator committed the crime. Seeking the viewer’s attention by judging the distinct evil, but that just simplifies the incident and never solves the problem itself.

Besides, I thought we need to imagine more the despair of the people who lost their loved ones and their lives of recovery ahead.

Creating this film from the viewpoints of various people, I tried to seek the truth of this incident. Having a discussion with the staff and the actors scene by scene and getting the answer little by little from it, we built this film. This was genuinely a painstaking endeavour.

There is one very important reason to make this film with my wholly devotion. It is because I met Kokoro Shinozaki, the main role of the film. She was dumped by her parents when she was a junior high school girl. She had been in the depth of despair since. However, she still has been active being an idol in Akihabara, struggling for hope. In some time, I started to see my old friend who killed himself in his high school days.

Now that my loved friend has killed himself, I want her to keep on living. There was also this very personal emotion alongside with other reasons for the creation of this film.

Best actor&actress at 4th kohan Film Fest-JAPAN,
41th Festival des Films du Monde-CANADA, 25th Raindance Film Festival-UK, 18th NIPPON
CONECTION-GERMANY, 14th SKIP CITY INTERNATIONAL D-Cinema FESTIVAL-JAPAN,
12th CAMERA JAPAN-THE NEITHER LANDS, 19th Hamburg Japan festival-GERMANY
Best 1 of Top 10 Japanese movies 2017 – Psycho-cinematography Dec.25 2017
Best 4 of The 18 best Asian movies of 2017 – Asian Film Vault Dec.21 2017

– SYNOPSIS

10 years after the indiscriminate killing in Akihabara.

Misa Sakurada, who is the member of an underground idol group, LUUKA , lives with his father who lost a job a few months ago. Ever since she lost her mother in the indiscriminate killing in Akihabara 8 years ago, she and her father have not been so close that they don’t even have a meal together.

With her life hard but without the relatives or a friend to count on, on the other hand of she being an underground idol, she works for the sex-related business run by the entertainment office she belongs. She faintly believes to see her mother again by being successful as an idol, the only hope in her life. But as her daily life becomes harder and as she feel the limit of sustainability in this life, fury that she couldn’t express in any way starts to rage inside her.

A high school student, Rie lives in a household consists of her father and her grandfather. Since her mother divorced from her father and left, Rie seldom talks with her father. Rie’s everyday routine has got more and more out of hand. The father somehow sees his daughter in Misa Sakurada, who he coincidentally saw at a street in Akihabara, and becomes heavily infatuated in the LUUKA’s live performances.

As the relationship between Rie and her boyfriend becomes worse and she still being rebellious to her father, Rie goes out to the streets of Akihabara to heal her isolation.

Ken Ohashi, who is a part time worker for a shipping firm in Akihabara lives with her mother, a staff in a small pub. The family hasn’t heard from his father ever since he ran away. Even though in financially tough circumstances, the two helped each other in their lives. But as the mother starts to go out with younger men for stress relief and, Ken’s steadily loses his emotional stability.

Ken starts to make a death threats and nasty phone calls to a woman, who he happens to know from making delivery to, from a public phone booth.

The film portrays a several characters, though struggling in a situation they happen to be in, trying to seek the faintest hope out of total hopelessness.

– DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT

This film is a story which follows both the perpetrator and the victims up to the wake of an incident, inspired by the actual indiscriminate killing. Why create a film about an indiscriminate killing now? Some of you might suppose so. I’ve seen various things strongly sought to be clarified these years. Especially in the media such as TVs. The masters of the shows and the personalities who make a clear judgement seem to have attracted more attention. The same can be said to the politicians who gain supporters by proposing a dichotomy.

Can it be like that? To seek the understandable isn’t the same as the oversimplification?

The whole universe is full of the complexed and we human race is even more complicated. We cannot fully understand our families and loved ones, nor the mind of ourselves. Sometimes our unreasonable language and the actions shock the ones around us. We fear ourselves behaving as such. We can never portray the society in which those, as described, human race live.

I lost my dearest friend who killed himself in my high school days. If it were for the notice of my friend’s slightest signal, which could have made by me or the adults around, my friends life might have sustained until today. He was naturally quiet and sometimes was absent from school, so I guess he was considered as such( quiet and cheerless).

So I, for this experience, strongly desire to be an adult who would never judge people by his or her appearance and supposed personality but who can think of what he or she thinks and wish for, who can offer the hands by noticing the slightest change.

By portraying the indiscriminate killing from the viewpoints of various people, I thought I might be able to seek what we have lost in the modern society. This is why I proposed this film.

Now I want to share this film not only in Japan but all around the world.

– INTERVIEW TO DIRECTOR

by P-J Van Haecke / Psyco-cinematography
Talks with directors Matsumoto Yusaku

In celebration of Noise winning first place at psycho-cinematography’s top 10 Japanese movies of 2017, we also sat down with Matsumoto Yusaku (松本優作) to talk about his first full-length feature, the process of creating his debut narrative, his past and ofcourse his future. With his short but to the point answers he gives us valuable insights, while creating new questions for us along the way.

– COMMENTS

Japanese movies best 1. Noise is a slow, subdued but very powerful narrative about the
importance of human connection and the far-reaching subjective effects modern
Japanese capitalistic society can have on the subject. In this respect, Matsumoto (…) questions
contemporary Japanese society and the effects it has on the very social fabric that, in normal
circumstances, would give a subject a safe place from where it can speak. It is a questioning,

empowered by the effective cinematography and the deep nuanced performances, that will long
linger in the spectator’s mind.
ーーーーーーーpvhaeck ( Psycho-cinematography )

Yusaka Matsumoto has made a bold, spellbinding film with Noise, tackling a difficult topic head-
on and challenging its audience to consider the hardships of the lead characters. Again, and

again it surprises with its daring narrative, and the stunning work of DOP Kentaro Kishi
combined with Banvox’s enticing soundtrack makes this a gripping production. The fact that
Noise is Matsumoto’s debut clearly shows that he has a great future ahead of him.
ーーーーーーーRoxy Simons ( MyMBUZZ )

Asian movies best 4. ”Noise” is a great feature debut for Yusaku Matsumoto, who manages to
capture the essence of modern Tokyo through his elaborate narrative, impressive visuals and
the performance of his cast.
ーーーーーーーPanos Kotzathanasis ( Asian Film Vault )

It’s pretty unbelievable that such a young director could create a film which is so mature in its
storytelling, direction, casting, sound design, etc, as a debut film. Director Matsumoto is truly
talented and will go very far!
ーーーーーーーAdam Torel ( Third Windows Films )

“Noise” is one of those rare films that manages to be delicate and excruciating at the same time.
It’ also a very consistent portrayal of our contemporary social condition, gazing into the
everyday life of a fragile Japanese youth paralysed by the relentless forces of neoliberalism.
One of the best Japanese films of 2019!
ーーーーーーーJacopo Bortolussi ( Yami Kurae )

– PROFILES

Casts

Kokoro Shinozaki
An idol, fashion model. Real name as her stage name. Formed an idol group, “Putipa” in
Sep,2013 and after a few alteration of the members, today it has been a group of three, with
Nozomi Manaka, Suzu hyuga besides Kokoro Shinozaki, mainly active in Tokyo. Lyrics of the
songs by Putipa is written by Kokoro. She is also active as a DJ, in DJ Kizmo. An attached
model of the fashion magazine “Zipper”
She won the Miss iD 2015 and the Ushijima-iiniku prize in the Koudansha held “Miss iD 2015”.
Also competed in “Young Animal NEXT Gravure Queen battle” in Nvember, 2015

Urara Anjo
Born on 2nd September 1994 in Hyogo prefecture. A member of an idol group “Otomebreibu”.
In April this year, she acted for the first time in a play, “Good night, Jack the ripper” which is
based on a popular comic book. Further energetic activity is expected.

Hiroshi Fuse
Had played in the theoretical company, Mr. Slim company. Made his name widely known in the
TBS “Odd apples”. Since then, he has appeared in various popular dramas, TV shows and the
commercials. His filmographies include “Gentle time”, “From the north”, “Meals with Ito family”
by Nippon Television, “Hanchou-Jinnan police station, Team Azumi” by TBS, “I have always
loved you”, “The detective of 4 sisters” by Asahi TV and more.

Kenji Kohashi
Born on 19th August, 1979(36 years old). An actor, a DJ, A film director, an event producer, a
versatile entertainer. Acting in the films, “Swallow Tail Buttterfly” and “Churasan”, directed by
Iwai Shunji attracted many fans. Terminated his career as an actor in 2007 and flew to the US.
After his return to japan in 2009, he performed in “ Imago Mortis”, a joint work of Italy, Spain and
Ireoand directed by Stefano Bessoni.. Recently, he has worked variously as a PV director of the
fashion brand, “Soareak”, as a DJ, as an event producer, over the scenes of an actor. In 2012,
he made a debut as a director of a feature film, “DON’T STOP”

Crew

Director, Screenplay, Editor and Producer / Yusaku Mastumoto
Born on 9th October 1992 in Hyogo prefecture. He got enrolled in Broadcasting/film department
in Visual Arts technical school Osaka and created a short film “ Standing back to the sky without
something as tomorrow” as his graduation work. This work was rewarded the encouragement
prize in the department and the film was showed in a few film festivals including Image Forum
Festival (Young perspective division”. After joining a film production company, he directed “
When she loved her” as his first commercial film. This film marked the 12th in TSUTAYA
monthly ranking of its genre. A company promotion videos and more was made by him later. He
also participated in the creations of other films, TVs, PVs and slimming DVDs. He, then,
became independent.
After his independence, he works as a director of a VTR of a video show featuring four-member
girls band, “LAGOON” distributed in the girls contents service,”LoGIRL” by Asahi TV, alongside
of his other activities.

Music Producer / banvox
Banvox is a producer and a DJ based in Tokyo. He started his career in 2011 and in this starting
year, his first work “Intense Electro Disco” from an internet label, Maltine Records hit the 4000
downloads in the first two days of the release. A digital EP, “INSTNCT DAZZLING STARLIGHT
EP” released in 2012 marked the second in the overall chart in most major US dance/club music
distribution website, Beatport, and even more amazing, it marked the first in the Amazon mp3
dance chart and fourth in the iTunes dance chart making a phenomenal success in the digital
charts. His name is now known to many in the club/DJ music scenes. In September, he made
appearances in ULTRA JAPAN 2014, and in December, the first full album “Don’t wanna be”
which reached number 1 in the iTunes dance charts and was 4th in the overall. He made a
unstoppable charge on the scenes even later on, producing the Google android commercial,
“You being decisive”. “Summer / New Style” released in the 2nd of May, 2015 was ranked 1st
and 2nd in iTunes Dance chart. Six months later in June and July that year, he showed up in
two foreign festivals, ULTRA KOREA and ULTRA EUROPE. Cutting edge of music created by
banvox is today spreading all over the world, no matter the oceans in its way. One of the
world’s remarkable artists.

Director of photography / Kentaro Kishi
Born in 1973. He had studied under a playwright, Akio Miyazawa since 1998 as an assistant
director since 1998. Simultaneously, while his performance as an actor in the films such as
“Denjin Zaborger” directed by Noboru Iguchi, “USB” directed by Shutaro Oku and “Giving the
dreams”, he started to produce the independent films, PV and the internet dramas from 2002. In
2010, self directed and shot feature film “ The records of the future” was nominated for the
feature film award in SKIP CITY D Cinema International film festival. The film won the grand prix
in TamaNewWave competition. The film was also nominated in various film festival in and out of
Japan. The film festivals are Hamburg Intetnational film festival, Denver international film
festival, The 29th Torino film festival “Waves” class. His shooting-directed films include “The end
of the time left for us(2013)”, “The liberation sector(2014)”(Tokyo International film festival
Splash class”), “Passage of life(2015)” and “Passage of life(2016)”

– POSTER CREDITS with ROLE or TITLE

Kokoro Shinozaki as Misa
Urara Anjo as Rie
Kohsuke Suzuki as Ken
Kentaro Kishi as Misa’s father
Takashi Nishina as Ken’s workplace foreman
Kenji Kohashi as Misa’s agent
Hiroshi Fuse as Rie’s father
Yuki Kitagawa as Scout man
Sakura Kawasaki as Ken’s mother
Nozomi Manaka, Suzu Hyuga as members of Misa’s idle group
Producer, Director, Screenplay and Editor: Yusaku Matsumoto
Executive producer: Keitaro Tsuji, Masakazu Tomoyasu
Production manager: Toru Koyama
Producer: Tetsuya Kubo
Music producer: banvox
Line producer: Hiroyuki Sunaga
Producer for distribution: Keiko Kusakabe
Cinematographer and Production designer: Kentaro Kishi
Assistant to cinematographer: Yuki Suematsu, Koutaro Kondo
Assistant director: Yuji Shimada, Ken Matsuhira
Acting office: Yukari Mori
Recording: Masato Watanabe
Assistant director: Yuji Shimada, Kenta Matsuhira
Sound designer: Ryoma Ochiai
Hair and make-up: Natsumi Kawamura
Costume coordinator: Tomoki Sugiura
Color grading: Shuko Hoshiko
Stills: Kaori Ito
thanks to: Otsuka foods Inc. and Redbull Japan Inc.
Production company: vivito
Produced by movie “Noise” production committee
Distributed and World sales: Makotoya Co.,Ltd.
Sales Rep. for World sales: RAIN TRAIL PICTURES,
Contact: info@makotoyacoltd.jp
©movie “Noise” production committee
MATERIALS:©2019 Makotoya Co.,Ltd. / movie “Noise” production committee