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The new movie "Nishikita Chopin (Left of Chopin)" will be released on March 26 at "Cine Pipia" (Mefu, Takarazuka City, Japan). Prior to the release, I participated in a two-hour on-line event sponsored by the Kansai Center of Japan-Poland Association, featuring the director and producer of the film on Zoom and YouTube. The event provided me new insights on film production, history of Poland, and its relationship with Japan.
The film will also be released on March 20 at "Motomachi Movie Theater" (Kobe), "Cine Nouveau" (Osaka), and "Ikebukuro Cinema Rosa" (Tokyo), and on March 26 at “Kyoto Minami Kaikan” (Kyoto).
(The dolls below are Polish dolls that I bought as souvenir when I traveled several times to Poland for business during my expatriate-years in the 1970s in Hamburg, Germany. I also have personal memories and attachment to Poland.)
Theme
"Nishikita Chopin" (Left of Chopin) is an independent film produced and filmed in the Kobe region.
"A full-scale piano movie was born under the two themes; “passing on the memories of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake"; and "supporting the pianists playing the piano with their left hand." The film is with full of piano music, including Chopin's masterpieces, Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 (a piano solo version arranged by Erika Numamitsu), and the left-handed piano pieces composed by Kohei Kondo. The film is a human drama of two young students aiming to become pianists. The director is Yoshino Takemoto, a female "weekend film director" who is a research engineer during weekdays. Although this is her first feature film, it has already won several awards from around the world. (From the website of "Nishikita Chopin") https://office-hassel.com/n-chopin/
Story
"Rinko and Kentaro are childhood friends and are both students of high school music teacher called Daruma-sensei because of his appearance looks like Daruma. Kentaro is extremely talented, who also also composes. Rafmaninoff played by Kentaro's big hands is wonderful, and he is the best student technically among students. Rinko loves the piano, but she is not as technically skilled as Kentaro and must work hard and diligently. She loves Chopin. The "Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake" and "focal dystonia" hit them as a big test that could close the path as a pianist. Despite struggling and suffering, the two pursue "sounds that resonate with the soul." (From the website of Nishikita Chopin) https://office-hassel.com/n-chopin/ (translation by the editor)
Left-handed pianists Takeo Chinai and Yasuyo Segawa, both helped writing the scenario. There are other great left-handed pianists in the world. One of the famous pianists is Paul Wittgenstein, a left-handed pianist who was injured in World War I and lost his right hand.
Here is some additional background information of the film.
Filming Locations around Kobe
Hyogo Prefectural Nishinomiya High School, Kobe College, Shukugawa Park (around Hanshin Koroen Station), Shukugawa Green Town (in front of Hankyu Shukugawa Station), Japan Evangelical Lutheran Nishinomiya Church, Nishinomiya East Wholesale Market, Medical Corporation Jitokukai Uegahara Hospital, Piano bar Odenden
Awards
・ Antwerp Film Festival, Jury Award, Official Selection
・ Kosice International Monthly Film Festival, 2021, Official Selection
・ Japan 12th Video Grand Prix Screenplay Award
・ Milan Film Festival, 2021, Official Selection
・ Southeastern International Film and Music Festival, 2020, Official Selection
・ others
How the director and producer of the film met
Director Takemoto met Producer Kondo for the first time in October 2017 when Director Takemoto found the filming site for the movie "Arcadia". The site she found was a cafe restaurant that Kondo was managing. Kondo hit it off with the talent and spirit of Director Takemoto. Apparently, Takemoto's feelings toward Polish films started when she saw and fell in love with a film directed by Agnuska Holland, a Polish female film director.
Participants
(MC) Hiroko Sadato, Associate Professor at Hannan University (a member of the Kansai Center of Japan-Poland Association)
(Director) Yoshino Takemoto
(Producer) Shuhei Kondo
Kazuo Fujii, Professor Emeritus, Kwansei Gakuin University (Chairman, Kansai Center, the Japan-Poland Association)
Taku Okazaki, Full-time lecturer at Hagoromo University of International Studies (a member of the Kansai Center, Japan-Poland Association)
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