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Keiko, me wo sumasete

Small, Slow But Steady
Encounters 2022
© 2022 « KEIKO ME WO SUMASETE » Production Committee & COMME DES CINEMAS
Keiko, a young pro boxer, was born with a hearing impairment. Boxing is a real challenge for her, but the club she belongs to is like a second home. After winning two difficult fights, a creeping fear begins to grow inside her. The club chairman, the only person who had accepted her as a boxer, is plagued by health issues and is losing his eyesight. Having learned that the gym is about to close for good, a confused Keiko goes on to her third bout. But perhaps the biggest challenge she faces is trying to understand the true nature and strength of her will to fight.
Inspired by Keiko Ogasawara’s autobiographical book “Makenaide!”, Keiko, me wo sumasete is a deeply moving character study powered by an unforgettable performance from rising star Yukino Kishii. Who needs speech when they have eyes as expressive as hers? Eyes that can either signify to her loving brother “I feel like being left alone right now”, or fill up with tears when experiencing human warmth and decency. Boxing, her coach reminds her, is about respect. Shot on gorgeous 16mm with razor-sharp precision and a deep sense of emotional truth, director Sho Miyake demonstrates this same sense of respect to tell this story of willpower put to the test.
by Shô Miyake
with Yukino Kishii, Tomokazu Miura, Masaki Miura, Shinichiro Matsuura, Himi Sato, Hiroko Nakajima, Nobuko Sendo Japan / France 2022 Japanese 99’ Colour

With

  • Yukino Kishii (Keiko Ogawa)
  • Tomokazu Miura (Katsumi Sasaki)
  • Masaki Miura (Makoto Hayashi)
  • Shinichiro Matsuura (Shintaro Matsumoto)
  • Himi Sato (Seiji Ogawa)
  • Hiroko Nakajima (Kiyomi Ogawa )
  • Nobuko Sendo (Chiharu Sasaki)

Crew

Director Shô Miyake
Screenplay Shô Miyake, Masaaki Sakai
Cinematography Yuta Tsukinaga
Gaffer Isamu Fujii
Editing Keiko Okawa
Sound Design Takamitsu Kawai
Production Design Shimpei Inoue
Art Director Daichi Watanabe
Costumes Nami Shinozuka
Make-Up Shihomi Mochizuki
Assistant Director Takashi Matsuo
Production Manager Takashi Ookawa
Producers Koichiro Fukushima, Masahiro Handa, Keisuke Konishi, Shunsuke Koga
Co-Producer Masa Sawada
Co-Production Comme des Cinémas Paris

World sales

Charades

http://www.charades.eu http://www.charades.eu

Produced by

Nagoya Broadcasting Network

“Keiko me wo sumasete” Production Committee

Photos

Berlinale Meets | Interview

Shô Miyake

© Hitoshi Makanai

Born in Hokkaido, Japan in 1984. His debut feature film Playback screened in competition at Locarno while And Your Bird Can Sing was presented in the Berlinale Forum. His other major works as a director include the music documentary The Cockpit which was selected for the Cinéma du Réel film festival in Paris and the streaming drama series Ju-on: Origins.

Filmography

2012 Playback 2014 The Cockpit; documentary 2017 Misshi to bannin 2018 Kimi no tori wa utaeru (And Your Bird Can Sing) 2019 Wairudo tsuâ (Wild Tour) 2020 Ju-on: Origins; series, 6 episodes 2022 Keiko, me wo sumasete (Small, Slow But Steady)

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2022