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March 23, 2015
MOVIE│Director Izuru Narushima brings Miyuki Miyabe's epic, 15 years in the making and 9 years in serialization, to the screen.
MOVIE│Miyabe Miyuki's Masterpiece, 15 Years in Conception and 9 Years in Serialization, Brought to the Screen by Director Izuru Narushima
The Solomon's Perjury Part 1: The Case, The Solomon's Perjury Part 2: The Trial
The Solomon's Perjury, a monumental work by bestselling author Miyabe Miyuki, which took 15 years to conceive and 9 years to write, has been adapted into a film by director Izuru Narushima. Released in two parts, The Solomon's Perjury Part 1: The Case will have its nationwide roadshow premiere on Saturday, March 7, and The Solomon's Perjury Part 2: The Trial on Saturday, April 11.
Text by YANAKA Tomomi
33 "14-Year-Olds" Chosen from a Pool of 10,000 Auditionees
Amidst various speculations following the suspicious death of a male student, junior high students themselves initiate a "school trial" to find the real culprit in the mystery epic, The Solomon's Perjury. This magnum opus by Naoki Prize-winning author Miyabe Miyuki, serialized over nine years from 2002 to 2011 and spanning over 2,000 pages, is finally brought to the screen.
The film is directed by Izuru Narushima, who swept numerous film awards, including the Japan Academy Prize, for his work on "Rebirth." The same team behind "Rebirth" has reunited to recreate the unique atmosphere of the era just before the collapse of the bubble economy.
The cast features newcomers selected from an audition of approximately 10,000 hopefuls. Thirty-three "14-year-olds," who embody their roles regardless of prior acting experience, have gathered, including Ryoko Fujino, who makes her acting debut in a role bearing her own name. The seasoned performances of Machiko Ono, Kaho, and Fumiyo Kohinata also add depth to the narrative.
The Truth Beyond the Tragedy Sparked by a Junior High Student's Suspicious Death
The body of Kashiwagi, a male student, is discovered on the school grounds one morning. Although no suicide note is found, the police quickly conclude it was suicide, as Kashiwagi had been absent from school for some time. Around this time, Ryoko Fujino, the class representative, receives an anonymous letter stating, "He wasn't suicidal. He was murdered."
Subsequently, a series of inexplicable incidents occur. Kashiwagi's death awakens the dormant malice of those who had been feigning peace, ultimately drawing in the next tragedy. Students are in turmoil, police investigations waver, teachers prioritize self-preservation, the media sensationalizes the events, and adults are concerned with appearances.
Why are they all lying? Believing they cannot leave it to the adults, Ryoko and her friends decide to hold a trial within the school, conducted by the students themselves, to uncover the truth. What astonishing facts are revealed at the end of the school trial, held amidst various obstacles?――――
The Solomon's Perjury Part 1: The Case
Nationwide Roadshow Premiere from Saturday, March 7
The Solomon's Perjury Part 2: The Trial
Nationwide Roadshow Premiere from Saturday, April 11
Director│Izuru Narushima
Starring│Ryoko Fujino, Mizuki Itagaki, Anna Ishii, Hiroya Shimizu, Miu Tomita, Koki Maeda, Ayumu Mochizuki, Kuranosuke Sasaki, Yui Natsukawa, Hiromi Nagasaku, Kaho, Tomoko Tabata, Masahiko Tsugawa, Kimiko Yo, Yutaka Shigemoto, Fumiyo Kohinata, Machiko Ono
Distributor│Shochiku
2015 / Japan / Part 1: 121 min, Part 2: 146 min
http://www.solomon-movie.jp/
©2015 "The Solomon's Perjury" Production Committee