Part of the 2018 season: (Un)true Colours

Initiation Love

Director Yukihiko Tsutsumi

Cast Cast: Shota Matsuda, Atsuko Maeda, Fumino Kimura, Takahiro Miura, Tomoya Maeno

(Initiation Love, イニシエーション・ラブ)

Portrayed in the classic music format of an “A-B sided cassette tape”, Initiation Love is a deceptive and entertaining love story with dark undertones set in late 1980s Japan. The story follows university student Suzuki (Shota Matsuda) and his life-changing meeting with Mayu (Atsuko Maeda), but the theme soon alters as it is flipped to side B. Suddenly Suzuki is transferred to Tokyo and the two are forced into a long distance relationship with many complications.

Imaginative and playful in its narrative, this craftily made film by Yukihiko Tsutsumi (20th Century Boys Trilogy) boasts a storyline that keeps you guessing right until the end – guaranteed to make you want to re-watch and catch what you missed the first time. Full of 1980s nostalgia, the film gives a glimpse into what life was like during this frivolous time.

2015/110 min/English Subtitles

 

イニシエーション・ラブ

乾くるみのベストセラーを基にしたミステリアスな恋愛ドラマ。1980年代後半の静岡と東京を舞台に、サイドA とサイドB の2部構成で男女の出会いと別れを描く。恋愛経験の少ない鈴木が合コンで出会った女性マユと出会うサイドA、就職し、東京へ行くことになった鈴木が2人の女性の間で心揺れるサイドB からなる。一見、純粋なラブ・ストーリーが最後の5分で驚きの結末を迎える。

監督: 堤幸彦
出演: 松田翔太、前田敦子、木村文乃

(Special thanks to Eikoku News Digest)

 

Past screenings