Takahisa Zeze follows up "Heaven's Story" with “Antoki no Inochi”

by Chris MaGee

It was only last week that Takahisa Zeze was honoured at the 61st annual Berlin International Film Festival with the FIPRESCI Prize for his 4-plus hour drama "Heaven's Story". Don't expect the 51-year-old director to start resting on his laurels though.

Tokyograph reported this week that Zeze, who has also brought us a wealth of pink films over his two decade career, is already planning his next project. Zeze will next adapt the 2009 novel “Antoki no Inochi” by author Sada Masashi to the screen. The book tells the story of a withdrawn young man named Nagashima whose job it is to see to the belongings of the dead. Nagashima finds himself opening up to his female co-worker, Yuki, and love starts to transform his cloistered existence. Things change after Yuki's past is brought to light.

Zeze has cast Masaki Okada (Confessions/ Halfway) as Nagashima and Nana Eikura (April Bride) as Yuki. Zeze will have a quick turnaround in bringing "Antoki no Inochi" to the screen. Filing will start next month with a Japanese theatrical release due for the fall. Just in time for festival season, no?