Set in Kobe, a Gathering of Acclaimed Actors

Director Yukiko Mishima, whose previous film 'Tears of the Vine' was selected for special invitation at the 38th Montreal World Film Festival last September, has garnered high praise not only in Japan but also internationally.

Director Mishima, who had long wished to 'make a film about a tailor someday,' has finally brought Aoi Ikebe's popular comic to the screen. The deeply poignant story, woven by Ichie Minami, the second-generation owner of a tailor shop, and the people around her, has arrived.

Miki Nakatani, who won the Japan Academy Prize for Best Actress for 'Memories of Matsuko,' and has received numerous other accolades, stars in the film. For this role, she cut her hair dramatically to match the protagonist's image and even learned to operate a treadle sewing machine for the shoot.

Furthermore, Takahiro Miura plays Fujii, a department store salesman captivated by Ichie's work, alongside the distinctive actress Hairi Katagiri,and Hana Kuroki, winner of the Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival for 'The Little House.'The cast also includes veteran actress Kimiko Yo, forming a lineup of accomplished performers.

Filming took place entirely in Kobe, Director Mishima's hometown. The city's streets, with their sloping roads overlooking the sea, and its old Western-style houses, are featured throughout the film, reflecting the director's meticulous attention to detail.

What Ichie Minami, the Tailor, Sealed Away in Her Heart

The 'Minami Tailor Shop' stands on a hill overlooking the city of Kobe. Ichie Minami, the owner, adheres to a traditional artisan style, creating one-of-a-kind handmade garments that have long been cherished by the local community.

Fujii, who works at a department store in Kobe, is fascinated by Ichie's craftsmanship and proposes turning her work into a brand. However, the stubborn Ichie shows no interest.

Her loyal customers grow older with the clothes tailored here, their lives adorned by them. Ichie, who should have been content with her days of simply mending clothes, finds something she had sealed away in her heart gradually stirred by Fujii's words: 'You must want to create dresses you've designed yourself.'

Director Yukiko Mishima portrays the story of one woman with a gaze that blends warmth with rigor and poignancy. A beautiful film has been born, merging the theme of 'clothing' with the spirit of a woman living through her work.



To coincide with the film's release, a special pop-up tailor shop has opened within 'LITTLE PAVILION,' a space inside PASS THE BATON OMOTESANDO. In addition to selling deadstock fabrics, ribbons, and buttons, as well as the book 'May Me Style: Adult Everyday Wear' (Nihon Vogue-sha) by Michiyo Ito, who served as the sewing advisor for the film, there are plans to sell personal items from the cast and crew, including star Miki Nakatani and director Yukiko Mishima, on the PASS THE BATON website.

'The True Cost of Living' x PASS THE BATON: A One-of-a-Kind Tailor Shop

Dates | January 22 (Thu) - February 15 (Sun)

Venue | PASS THE BATON LITTLE PAVILION (Inside PASS THE BATON Omotesando)

4-12-10 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo B2F, Omotesando Hills West Building

Hours | 11:00 - 21:00 (Sundays and holidays until 20:00)

Irregular holidays

http://www.pass-the-baton.com/

'The True Cost of Living'

Opens nationwide on Saturday, January 31st, at Shinjuku Piccadilly, Human Trust Cinema Yurakucho, and other theaters.

Director | Yukiko Mishima

Starring | Miki Nakatani, Takahiro Miura, Hairi Katagiri, Hana Kuroki, Hana Sugisaki, Mie Nakao, Masato Ibu, Kimiko Yo

Distribution | Gaga Corporation

2015 / Japan / 104 minutes

http://tsukuroi.gaga.ne.jp/

©2015 Aoi Ikebe / Kodansha / 'The True Cost of Living' Production Committee