Cloud

Ryōsuke Yoshii works at a small factory and makes money on the side as a reseller operating under the pseudonym “Ratel”. He deals in medical devices, handbags, figurines... Anything he can flip to make a profit. Buy low, sell high—that’s all there is to it. Muraoka, a senior classmate from Yoshii’s technical college days who taught him the ins and outs of reselling, approaches him with a potentially high-earning proposal, but he shuns it and devotes himself to his own dubious deeds. For Yoshii, his growing bank balance is the only thing he can trust. When Yoshii is offered a promotion, he steadfastly refuses, calling time on his three-year stint, and resigns on the spot. He rents a lakeside house outside the city for both residential and business purposes, and starts a new life with his girlfriend, Akiko. With the help of Sano, a local youth hired as a helper, Yoshii’s reselling schemes appear to be going from strength to strength until unsettling incidents begin occurring consecutively around him. A negative spiral of animosity gathers momentum, eventually taking physical form and transforming into a crazed mob of unknown number. Their target is Yoshii, whose oblivious existence is rapidly torn apart...

In the obscure corners of modern-day Japan, violent incidents sometimes occur for seemingly no reason whatsoever. When the causes are investigated, it becomes apparent that a system of sorts exists through which petty grudges and frustrations are accumulated and blown out of proportion by the Internet. I wondered if such a phenomenon would serve as subject matter for an action film, and began developing this project. Its protagonist is an extremely average man who, through his small-time moneymaking schemes, desires to gain even the slightest advantage over others. In this story, he carelessly incurs the ire of those around him, and ultimately finds himself dragged into a deadly battle with his life on the line. However, as the shoot progressed, I became aware that this wouldn’t become the kind of action film that simply leaves you feeling exhilarated. One reason for that is the protagonist’s profound ambiguity and complexity, brought to life by the astonishing acting ability of lead actor Masaki Suda. Another factor is that the deadly battle unexpectedly began to take on aspects of war. Profiteering and revenge overlap and amplify, eventually setting violent acts into motion, and before you know it, there’s no turning back. In a sense, this might also be how modern-day wars come into being.

PRODUCTION 1: Yumi Arakawa NIKKATSU Corporation
3-28-12 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku,
113-0033, Tokyo, Japan
Tel. 81 356891014
arakaway@nikkatsu.co.jp

PRODUCTION 2: Yuki NISHIMIYA TOKYO THEATRES CO., LTD
1-1-8 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku
160-0022, Tokyo, Japan
Tel. 81 333551013
nishimiya@theatres.co.jp

PRODUCTION 3: Nobuhiro IIZUKA DJANGO-FILM Corporation
2-8-12 Somechi, Chofu-shi
182-0023, Tokyo, Japan
Tel. 81 424991469
nobu@django-film.co.jp

WORLD SALES: Umi Yamamoto - NIKKATSU Corporation
3-28-12 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku
113-0033, Tokyo, Japan
Tel. 81 356891014
umi_yamamoto@nikkatsu.co.jp

ITALIAN DISTRIBUTION: Andrea Curti - MINERVA PICTURES GROUP S.R.L
Via Marcella, 4-6
00153 Rome, Italy
Tel. 39 06 84 24 24 30
andreacurti@minervapictures.com

PRESS OFFICE:
Umi Yamamoto - NIKKATSU Corporation
3-28-12 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku
113-0033, Tokyo, Japan
Tel. 81 356891014
Mob. 7086827899
international@nikkatsu.co.jp

PRESS OFFICE (Italy): Marta Scandorza - MINERVA PICTURES GROUP S.R.L
Via Marcella, 4-6
00153 Rome, Italy
Tel. 39 06 84 24 24 30
m.scandorza@minervapictures.com

PRESS OFFICE: (International excluding Italy) Gloria Zerbinati
Independent
Via Palmiro Togliatti 15
45010 Rovigo, Italy
Tel. 33 (0) 7 86 80 02 82
gloria.zerbinati@gmail.com