Ichiko

KAWABE Ichiko (SUGISAKI Hana) happily accepts when her boyfriend HASEGAWA (WAKABA Ryuya) asks her to marry him. But the very next day, she’s vanished without a trace, and HASEGAWA contacts the police only to find out that there is no record of KAWABE Ichiko ever existing. Who is Ichiko, and where has she gone?

Determined to find her, HASEGAWA tracks down people from her past, listening to their stories and piecing together fragments of the woman he knew. Little by little, the truth of Ichiko’s life emerges… and the shocking, heart-wrenching extent of her suffering is brought to light.

Adapted from director TODA Akihiro’s own critically acclaimed stage play, Ichiko is an arresting and powerfully human exploration of many important social issues, including poverty, abuse and the holes in the Japanese family register system.

©2023 “Ichiko” Film Partners

長谷川は恋人の市子にプロポーズし、市子も喜んで目に涙を浮かべて承諾。しかしその翌日、市子が突然姿を消す。しかも長谷川が警察に連絡するとその存在すら記録にないことが判明。市子の過去を追ううち、長谷川は旧友や知人らからその壮絶な半生を聞かされ、驚くべき真実に突き当たる。現代の日本に存在する貧困、虐待、戸籍制度の問題を描いた人間ドラマ。

(Special thanks to Eikoku News Digest)

Featuring a special guest appearance from director TODA Akihiro at select screenings:

– Depot, Lewes (13 Feb)
– The Ultimate Picture Palace, Oxford (14 Feb)
– Chapter, Cardiff (15 Feb)
– Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA), London (16 Feb)
– Showroom Cinema, Sheffield (17 Feb)