A film by Masashi YAMAMOTO The Voice of Water · Toronto, Berlin Film Festival 1998: He stayed in New York for one year from September, 1997. He got a scholarship from Japanese Government

[GETA FILMS / Spirits Project Inc.]

A film by Masashi YAMAMOTO

The Voice of Water

(Original Japanese Title: Mizu no Koe o Kiku) 2014 / HD / Color / Stereo / 129min / Japan

Official Selection: Berlin International Film Festival 2015 – Forum Section Official Selection: Hong Kong International Film Festival 2015


INTRODUCTION

From 2012 to 2013, 13 directors gathered at the film workshop, “Cinema☆ Impact”, and

each one of them shot short and feature films making up 15 of them in total. From

this workshop, the blockbuster film, “KOI-NO-UZU”, was born, making a new-wave in

the film industry. The leader of “Cinema☆ Impact”, director Masashi YAMAMOTO,

brings to theaters his latest feature film “The Voice of Water”, along with a producer,

Shinichiro Muraoka who is known for his works of Tatshushi Omoriʼs film“Botchan”

and “Sayonara Keikoku”.

Sense of stagnation and helplessness, chaos and confusion, anxiety and distrust

surrounds us “today”, where we can't foresee the future. People go out and about,

not even knowing what they should cling on to. “The Voice of Water” follows the

retrospect of the religion, “Godʼs water”, centralized in the depiction of Japanese

Korean cult leader, Minjung, showing the lives of the sacred and profane, along with

nature, water, wind, and clouds. While depicting the vitality spawning from the

nature at the same glance, this film aims to moisture the dried souls.


STORY

At a Korean town, Shinjuku, Tokyo – a town of mixed culture and races. Minjung is

invited by her friend, Mina, to pretend to be a “Miko” (a cult leader). Aiming to earn

some money lightheartedly and simply, and with the being to quit it after a short while,

Minjung accepts it. However, their believers increase, and this leads Minjung and

Mina to establish a religious group, ”Godʼs Water.” Because of this, it becomes

impossible for these two to simply quit what they have started.

Minjungʼs father is chased by debt collectors, the mad Yakuzas (gangsters).

An advertising agent man who is trying to create a cult community as his business.

A woman tries to satisfy her desire with the cult group.

The believers are asking Minjung for help.

A young guru, Minjung suffers from everything surrounding her between holiness of

gods and her usual life. By this, gradually, she faces “religion” sincerely and

seriously. She devotes herself to the gods to become a prayer for this insecure and

unstable time to save all the people living in this world.

What is “real” and what is “unreal”? What will she watch in this world?


Starring: Hyunri (Minjung)

Born December 18th 1986 in Tokyo. Speaks Japanese, English, and Korean. Studied at ShinYong Wook Acting School with its amazing alumni such as Won Bin and Gang Don Won. There she appeared in Korean film, drama, and magazines until her return in 2009. She is a talented actress, active globally in Japan, Korea, and Europe. Movie 2013 “YORU no TOCHUU” (Hiroshi Ando) “Radio Days” (Yukihiro Kato) Yubari Film Festival Fanta-land Award “SKY-HANUL-”(Naoto Monma) SSFF&ASIA2013 Music Short UULA Award 2014 “JUDGE!” (Akira Nagai) “In the Hero” (Masaharu Take) “STREET FIGHTER ASASSINS FIST” (Joey Ansah) TV “Yae no Sakura” (NHK) “Freeter, Ie wo kau” (CX)


Producer: Shin-ichiro Muraoka

Born in Fukuoka prefecture, 1972. He attended the shooting of “Father Fucker” in Nagasaki as a staff. And then, he decided to study under Genjiro Arato, who was a film director then. In 2003, he was the producer for “Akame 48 Waterfalls” (original author: Chokichi Kurumatani, won 119th Naoki award) and won many film awards such as Mainichi Movie Contest Award, Blue Ribbon Award, etc. In 2004, he produced “The Whispering of the Gods”. The film was officially screened at Locarno International Film Festival and Tokyo International Film Festival, receiving high reputation both locally and internationally. When the film was released, they built a movie theater called “Ikkakuza” within Tokyo National Museum just for the purpose of screening it, and they screened it for an entire year. In 2012, he produced “Botchan”; a film which based its story on the Akihabara massacre. In the same year, he produced “Sayonara Keikoku”, which won numerous awards including the Special Jury Prize at the Moscow International Film Festival and the Best Actress award of Awards of the Japanese Academy. Also, the director of the both films, Tatsushi Omori, won the Best Director award of the 56th Blue Ribbon Award


Director: Masashi Yamamoto

1979: Started his 8mm film carrier after dropping out of University.

1982: CARNIVAL IN THE NIGHT (16mm/108min.). Berlin Film Festival, Forum

Cannes Film Festival, Critics Week.

1987: ROBINSONʼSGARDEN (35mm/117min) Berlin Film Festival Forum -Zitty Readers Prize-

Locarno Film Festival, Special Mention of Judges.

New Director's Award of Directors Guild of Japan.

1990: WHAT'S UP CONNECTION (35mm/118min) Showed in a special theater built exclusively for the occasion in Tokyo

for three months.

1991: KUMAGUSU (35mm) This project is currently on hold to financial difficulties. Now, preparing to

continue the production.

1996: ATLANTA BOOGIE (35mm/108min) Suponichi Grand Prix at Mainichi Film Festival(Best new actress: Saeko

Suzuki).

1997:

JUNK FOOD (35mm/105min) Berlin Film Festival Forum

Toronto, Berlin Film Festival

1998: He stayed in New York for one year from September, 1997. He got a

scholarship from Japanese Government Over Seas Study Program for

Artists.

2000: Limousine Drive (35mm/87min) He went to New York alone and made it with the cast & staff in NY.


2005: Days (SD/58min) Cycle (SD/48min)

2006: Man and Woman and Wall (SD /87min)

2011: Three Points (HD/85min)

2012: He opened the work shop “Cinema Impact” and he produced 15 films by

13 directors in them. One Nation Story (HD/35min) NIGHT in TACOS (HD/25min)

Credits Written & Directed by Masashi Yamamoto

Producer:Shinichiro Muraoka Line Producer:Masafumi Yoshikawa, Director of Photography:Futa Takagi

Lighting Director:Keijiro Akiyama, Production Designer:Fumiaki Suzaka

Sound Designer:Shintaro Kamijo, Assistant Director:Takumi Nozawa

Editor:Kenji Yamashita, Music by Dr.Tommy

Minjung…Hyunri

Nami Sakai…Shuri Akao…Jun Murakami

Sae…Natsuko Nakamura Mikio…Akio Kamataki Takazawa…Kei Oda

Mamoru…Hayate Matsuzaki Yosie…Izumi Minai

Shinji…Riku Hagiwara

© CINEMA☆ IMPACT


Contact Information:

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Tokyo 150-00022 JAPAN

Attn: Ryohei Masuoka (Mr.)

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Documents

A film by Masashi YAMAMOTO The Voice of Water · Toronto, Berlin Film Festival 1998: He stayed in New York for one year from September, 1997. He got a scholarship from Japanese Government