Outrage!

When news of this year's Cannes International Film Festival lineup hit the press today, it was no surprise that Kitano Takeshi's Outrage (『アウトレイジ』) would vie for the Palme d'Or. Nonetheless it's a welcome return for J-cinema to the competition lineup since Kawase Naomi won the Grand Prix for Mogari no Mori in 2007. Kitano may be most strongly associated with Venice, but as a country France loves him more. Kitano was named a Commander of the Order of the Arts and Letters of France last month. In other Cannes news, Nakata Hideo's UK thriller Chatroom will screen in the Un Certain Regard section.


Official publicity blub:

OUTRAGE
a film by Takeshi Kitano

In a ruthless battle for power, several yakuza clans vie for the favor of their head family in the Japanese underworld. The rival bosses seek to rise through the ranks by scheming and making allegiances sworn over saké. Their vengeful disputes over money, turf and betrayals are seldom settled without violence and death. Veteran yakuza henchman Otomo (Beat Takeshi) has seen his kind go from elaborate body tattoos and severed fingertips to becoming important players on the stock market. Theirs is a never-ending struggle to end up on top, or at least survive, in a world where there are no heroes... From the director of ZATOICHI, BROTHER and HANA-BI.

(Once again, Celluloid Dreams is handling world sales)

Short synopsis (first translated and presented on Ryuganji):

The story begins with Sekiuchi (Kitamura Soichiro), boss of the Sannokai, a huge organised crime syndicate controlling the entire Kanto region, issuing a stern warning to his lieutenant Kato (Miura Tomokazu) and right-hand man Ikemoto (Kunimura Jun), head of the Ikemoto-gumi. Kato orders Ikemoto to bring the unassociated Murase-gumi gang in line, and he immediately passes the task on to his subordinate Otomo (Beat Takeshi), who runs his own crew. The tricky jobs that no-one wants to do always end up in Otomo's lap...

Full Trailer:



Brief on set impressions (October 1, 2009):

"Kitano's New Yakuza Film Before Cameras"