Sion Sono casts EXILE member in his next film "Chichi to Ko no Kizuna"

by Chris MaGee

Sion Sono certainly doesn't rest on his laurels. With his latest 4-hour epic "Love Exposure" still making the rounds of film fests the 47-year-old wild man filmmaker (above right) is in the process of planning his next picture and he's already cast the main role. Akira (above left), a member of the top-selling Japanese pop septet EXILE, will star in Sono's upcoming film "Chichi to Ko no Kizuna (The Bonds of Father and Child)" about a salaryman and his relationship with his dying father. A bit of a radical shift for Sono who's become synonymous with ero-guro films like "Suicide Circle" and "Strange Circus", plus it's a big change for Akira as well. Although the 26-year-old has had roles in the film "Hana yori Dango: Final" and on Japanese television "Chichi to Ko no Kizuna" marks his first time as the lead in a major production.

For those of you following Sion Sono you'll know that this isn't the first time that he's cast a member of a pop group in one of his films. "Love Exposure" features AAA member Takahiro Nishijima in the main role of Yu, an upskirt photographer and son of a priest who gets caught up in a religious cult.

No release date has been announced for "Chichi to Ko no Kizuna" as of yet. Thanks to Tokyograph for the story.