TRAILER

INTRODUCTION

The short film "ENSEMBLE," created with the concept of "conveying the emotions of the characters not through dialogue but through the tones played by a musician," was screened at several international film festivals, and was made into a feature film in 2021. The short film was completed in the studio, but the feature film was made in a native forest setting, with major changes made to the characters' costumes and the setting. Starring in the film are Kaori Tsubaki, who has appeared in films directed by Makoto Tezuka and Yudai Yamaguchi, and Chika Arakawa, who is known for her appearances in films by Yoji Yamada. The supporting cast includes Shinichiro Osawa, known for his role as the producer of the movie 'One Cut Of The Dead', actor Kentaro Furuyama, who belongs to the Modern Swimmers theater company, TAP dancer LILY, who was introduced on NHK's "Gogo-Nama" information program, percussionist Ryohei Okabe, who is active in Karuna Vacation and WAIWAI STEELBAND, etc., and didgeridoo player NATA, who is invited from Tunisia. The production team includes Shojonotomo, a contemporary artist who designed Nicki Minaj's stage costumes; Photographer Hal, an active photographer who has exhibited in Paris, Belgium, and Taiwan; and SLF!!, a band that was well received at the Houston Asian and Pacific American Festival. The music is by SLF!! a band that has been well received at the Houston Asian Pacific American Festival, as well as music. The director is TOOWA2, a filmmaker who has worked as a VJ at fashion shows for BVLGARI, VIVI, and POPTEEN, reception parties for MASERATI and Esquire, and nightclubs and music events in Japan and abroad. It is an experimental feature film that attempts to "synchronize sound and image" in a fable-like dramatic film.

STORY

A tribe communicating by the sound lived in the forest. It requires good relationship with the "PLAYER" to communicate by tone. MIYABI and MIKA were treated coldly from KITE, the leader of the tribe because of not to handle "PLAYER" well. One day, KAROUJA comes to the forest. He knew a convenient way more than tone. MIYABI is influenced by his ability and she left with him. After that, MIKA could communicate with LUMINA, who played the most beautiful tones in the tribe. One day, MIYABI comes back to the forest. She could communicate without "PLAYER". MIYABI tries to spread this to the tribe. Gradually LUMINA and KITE become isolated in the tribe. Tribe people also begin to change, and they begin to disappear. MIYABI and her PLAYER left in the tribe set out again with it.

CAST

Kaori Tsubaki as MIYABI

She started her carrier as an actress since 2005.While she are acting in film and TV drama, she started to direct a film.as a recent film work, she is directing commercial film of animal rights, Documentary film of punk rock idols.

Chika Arakawa as MIKA

She started her career as actress in 2003. She has appeared in several films, including "Tokyo Family" (directed by Yoji Yamada) and "Ohisama," NHK's 2011 television series. In 2011, she won the Best Actress Award at the Comedy Cluj International Film Festival in Romania for "Yakuza Girl," the Russian film in which she starred.

Lily as TAP

Tap Artist, Interdisciplinary Artist. Based in Tokyo and New York. The world's premier tap festival in Sweden He was awarded a scholarship to the "Stockholm Tap Festival" to promote the festival in Japan and Asia. He has performed at many international parties held at five-star hotels and embassies.

AKIE as VIOLIN

A violin player. Based on 15years of classic music education since she was 3, and experiences of orchestra, she plays as a backup band member, and as a studio musician for commercial music etc, with her 5strings electric violin. She loves experimental genreless collaborations.

Kentaro Furuyama as KITE

Entered an acting school at 18 with aspirations of becoming an actor. "Modern Swimmers," started with his fellows back then, has been the most famous theater company in Japan for more than 20 yrs. He's also been active in dramas and films, including "Outrage Coda" directed by Takeshi Kitano, and HBO Max original series, "TOKYO VICE," directed by Michael Mann.

Shinichiro Osawa as KAROUJA
Actor known as role “produder” of “ONE CUT of the Dead”. As an actor, he started his career in 2002. And also, he joined many films as assistant producer. Produce work : “Heartbeat of the Refrain”(2021), TV drama” The Wailing Catastrophe”(2018)
Masao Miki as LUMINA

Choreographer and director. Leader of MasaOption. Assistant choreographer, Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. As a choreographer, he has choreographed more than 100 plays and musicals. As a performer, he has appeared in works by various directors and choreographers, including Kaiji Moriyama and Keishi Nagatsuka. From April 2008 to March 2009, he was a member of the company "KagayakuMirai" led by Kim Ito, and in 2014 launched "MasaOption". he continues to express the conflicts of living through physical expression using objects and words in daily life.

Shunsuke Inuzuka as THEO

Born in Fukuoka Japan. He has been performing on stage and in films since he was 18 years old. He's also been active in dramas and films, including “Restart” (2021) directed by Hiroshi Shinagawa, and “Hope” (2020) directed by Yukihiko Tsutsumi, and ”Infini-T Force” directed by Jun Matsumoto. He also began writing and directing his own plays about three years ago.

Ryohei Okabe as PERCUSSION

While he was a student at Nihon University College of Art, he started his career as percussionist under the influence of the samba team Unians Amadoris. In 2003, he won the Asakusa Samba Carnival. He has appeared "Disney Resort" and "Fuji Rock festival". Currently, active as a member of Carnavacation.

JUNKO as PIANO

JUNKO majored in piano at Tokyo Gakugei University until graduate school and obtained an academic master's degree. piano solo player .accompaniment pianist. Collabo with TAP dancers & ballet and so on. Live and Release as Piano with Headphone.

NATA as DIDGERIDOO

He was inspired by the Aboriginal relationship with nature, which is now the source of his creativity. He began studying with Djalu Gurruwiwi, an internationally renowned didgeridoo maker and player in Australia. NATA has performed so many places including Sahara International Festival (Tunisia), Pura Dalem bentuyung (Indonesia), Kamakura Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Festival (Japan) and so on.

Aki Hiraoka as LUNE

Date of birth December 11, 1989. Born at Yokohama in Japan. I have been evaluated by Dir Sion Sono & Dir Go Rijyu who are famous movie directors since I joined movies they made. I appeared "TOKYO TRIBES" "Minnna Esper da yo!(TV specials)" "TAG" by director Sion Sono. Especially I gave the big impression with Rena Torindoru(main actress) at "TAG". In addition, I appear some movies nominated as Tokyo International Film Festival "Lowlife Love".

Yosuke Sato as SAX

Born in Tokyo. After graduation at the university, he began to play alto saxophone and started to perform as a professional musician based in Sapporo, Hokkaido. Gregory's second CD "Be Good" was  nominared for a Grammy again, and his third CD "Liquid Spirit" won "The Best Jazz Vocal Album of the year" of 2014. Attended Montreal Jazz Festival, Playboy Jazz Festival, Montreax Jazz Festival, Montrey Jazz Festival, Jazz en Vienna, New York Jazz Festival, Chicago Jazz Festival, Toulose Jazz Festival,aris Jazz Festival and so on until he left the band to focus on his own music project on the end of 2015. He moved back to Japan and now is basing there, developing his music. 

Lily as TAP

Tap Artist, Interdisciplinary Artist. Based in Tokyo and New York. The world's premier tap festival in Sweden He was awarded a scholarship to the "Stockholm Tap Festival" to promote the festival in Japan and Asia. He has performed at many international parties held at five-star hotels and embassies.

CREW

TOOWA2
Directed・Written・Edit・Produce

TOOWA2 is Japanese independent filmmaker. A longtime street dancer and performer, TOOWA2 started film making & VJ by self-taught. So far, he has produced a lot of videos, mostly related to advertising and has directed Evangelion REMIX DVD, documentary film "100 people Love the Earth" screened at the Aichi Expo. Also, his shortfilm ENSEMBLE episode01&02(2015) is selected in 68th Cannes Film Festival shortfilm corner and Raindance film festival, Brooklyn film festival, Bucheon International Film Festival. Incidentally, "ENSMBLE" is also evaluated by Fashion Photographer Nick Knight who known as director of LADY GAGA’s MV "Born This WAY". Aside from his work as film director, TOOWA2 is also in high demand as VJ. His ability to move freely across the borders of fashion, dance music, and culture has earned him calls from companies such as Bvlgari and Maserati to VJ their reception parties.

PHOTOGRAPHERHAL
Cinematograph

PHOTOGRAPHERHAL has been creating photographic works on the subject of love since around 2000. Bathtubs, couples, love and challenge are strong themes throughout this artist’s work with other key elements including individuality, style, communication and intimacy.His latest project is called Flesh Love All, which captures not only the couples but also all the surroundings in vacuum sealed package to create an image where everything in the world becomes one.The photographic location is the most important place for them.Canne Lions 2015, Spikes Asia,he has won many awards.He has also been serected Photo Lucida(USA)2020 Top 50 photographer, been serected Lens culture Critic’s choice 2021, Top10. Since around 2010, he has started shooting movies,participated in the movie " Café in the forest" as a cinematographer in 2015, and the movie "Lyrical School: Close Encounters of the Unknown" 2016.He has made short movie with taking his wife in his daily life,“Sirent Life”in 2020.

SLF!!
Music

Compose / Arrangement / DJ

ex : The Lady Spade and join the other many project

He was a member of the electro and hip-hop unit "The Lady Spade" which expanded its activities to Tokyo and abroad until 2020. Currently, he continues to produce music, DJ, and create music with his own vocals.

YT : https://www.youtube.com/SPDSLF

ONI
Music

Dj, composer and remixer Dj Oni is a very active artist playing in around the world, India, China, Myanmar 5 star hotel tour, big events in Europe and Asian countries, party at the embassies. He is producing the artwork which include Japanese traditional culture. The short film "ensemble" music director by ONI was selected for many international film festivals such as Cannes, Brooklyn International Film Festival, Bucheon International Film Festival. ONI is collaborating with numerous high sense, high brands. He also produced lounge house unit "Piano with Headphone" and released first collaborated album in 2015. He also directs the formal events such as Czech music competition and other similar events organized by national embassies and Japanese ministries.

Shojono Tomo

Costume Disign

Contemporary artist who expresses the importance of physical contact interactively as well as in paintings, sculptures and moving images. Her unique perspective and expression of the Japanese temperament are a source of inspiration for her work. She has been invited to exhibit at an international museum in Sweden (for a two-year extension), and has given a live performance at a cool japan event in France as a representative artist. She has also organized live wedding performances as part of the “Double T-shirt project(Two people wear one t-shirt and work together) at Edo-Tokyo Museum. In addition, ShojonoTomo provided costumes for American rapper NICKI MINAJ from 2011-2014. Among other things, her facemask for MTV's award ceremony brought about a social impact that was debated in Europe and the United States. This made her realize that art can move society. Currently, after experiencing the isolation caused by Corona, ShojonoTomo is starting new activities such as a video with the keyword "face mask" and the "double t-shirt" project.
http://www.shojonotomo.com

Sayaka Asai
Costume Disign

ICEDYE Artist.I am fascinated by the "accidental beauty that comes naturally", the beauty of things that cannot be completely controlled, and I create works using a technique called "ice dyeing", which uses ice to dye cloth. I obtained a patent for a special design technique.I am based in Tokyo and work in Japan and internationally.

Osao Hori

Production sound, Re-recording mixer

Graduate school of Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, MUJI, Sound Engineer, presented a three-dimensional sound work at Roppongi Art Night.

YUKIKO

Hair&Make up

After graduating from Osaka Berue Bell Beauty College and Professional Academy with the highest honors, she joined a salon in Shinsaibashi. After studying hair and makeup in parallel with salon work, she moved to Tokyo and started her own business.
Currently, she is active in a wide variety of fields including advertising, catalogs, events, shows, artists, and gravure.
Ayane Kutsumi

Hair&Make up

Born in Osaka. Graduated from Vantan Design Institute After working as an assistant for about three and a half years, he started working as a hair and makeup artist. Currently, based in Tokyo, he is active in a wide range of fields, from movies and dramas to commercials, music videos, fashion, corporate advertising, and genres. So far in the work directed by Kenichi Ugana The <"Foreign Body" series>, which continued to produce "adaptation," "proliferation," and "disappearance," is a film festival and film in more than 70 countries in 20 countries, including the Turin Film Festival, Montreal Nouveau Cinema Film Festival, and Etranje Film Festival. Selected for the award and won the award. In addition, "Counselor", directed by Zenzo Sakai, has received an unusual response as a short film, and its release has been expanded nationwide, and it is becoming a remarkable cult topical work. This work achieved the feat of winning the SKIP City Award for the first time in a short film at the SKIP City International D-Cinema Film Festival. Many of the works that participated as hair make are highly evaluated overseas.

Minako

Hair&Make up

After Saburo Watanabe make-up, I started hair and make-up artist activities. "Wonderful World End" (2015) Director: Daigo Matsui and "OUT ZONE" directed by Hiroshi Kanno. "Wonderful" is a film review film festival in which the MV of singer-songwriter Seiko Oomori was evaluated by the 65th Berlin International Film Festival "Generi 14 Plus". The movie "OUT ZONE" was also evaluated in the "WORLD GREATS evaluation" of the Montreal World Film Festival, and I was evaluated overseas for the work that was evaluated. Lol is active in front of feature films 2011 commercials, magazines, and music videos.

Mitsuho Iguchi
Producer

Born in Yamanashi, japan. After working as a graphic designer. He started working as a screenwriter in 2016. He provided plays and participated in the film “Bambina star” (directed by Kaori Tsubaki) as a scriptwriter, editor, and cameraman. He has participated in several films and dramas as an assistant cinematographer for Takeshi Sone(the cinematographer of The film "One Cut of the Dead”). He is currently shooting and editing corporate promo videos, editing film production books, and also working as a graphic designer. He participated in this film for the first time as a producer.

Yukiko Ishihara
Producer

Graduated from Chuo University Faculty of Law, Department of International Business Relations Law, and belongs to Tap Dance Company Freiheit, which is led by Tap Artist Lily.
In addition to being a tap dancer and instructor, she is also involved in multiple activities such as artist management, event planning and management, web production, and video editing. She is also involved in English- and Chinese-speaking operations. Participated in this work as a production department.

SLF!!
Music

Compose / Arrangement / DJ

ex : The Lady Spade and join the other many project

He was a member of the electro and hip-hop unit "The Lady Spade" which expanded its activities to Tokyo and abroad until 2020. Currently, he continues to produce music, DJ, and create music with his own vocals.

YT : https://www.youtube.com/SPDSLF

Act : Kaori Tsubaki / Chika Arakawa / Lily / AKIE / Shunsuke Inuzuka / Ryohei Okabe / Masao Miki / JUNKO / Shinichiro Osawa / Kentaro Furuyama / Nata / Aki Hiraoka / Yosuke Sato
Cinematographer : PHOTORAPHERHAL / TOOWA2 / SLF!! / Takeshi Sone
Costume Design : ShojonoTomo, SAYAKA ASAI
Music : SLF!! / ONI
Production sound & Re-recording mixer : Osao Hori
Hair&Make-up : YUKIKO / Ayane Kutsumi / Minako
Producer : Mitsuho Iguchi / Kaori Tsubaki / Shinichiro Osawa / yukiko Ishihara / TOOWA2
Directed・Written・Edit : TOOWA2
Support : ファインディング佐倉 / 敷根文裕 / 佐倉フィルムコミッション /
駿河湾沼津FC『ハリプロ映像協会』 / 沼津市 / SobaCafe3〇1 / ARTS for the FUTURE!
Distribution・Production : 合同会社AUDIOVISUAL PICTURES

COMMENT

“Amazing right from the start! And even though there is not a single word of dialogue for 80 minutes, it makes you think deeply. What is civilization, what is communication, and what is humanity? This is the true power of film. Toowa2's originality is very rare in Japanese cinema today.”

Macoto Tezka(Visualist)
“It transcends language by discarding words, and brings the story to life by avoiding concrete expressions. A deep groove dominates the screen from beginning to end, and although it seems primitive, I thought it was actually a very modern contemporary play.”

Tomoyuki Tanaka(DJ / Sound Director of Tokyo Olympic / FPM)
“This is a new genre of "silent/music film" that goes beyond expression and proposes new ways of communication with the audience, which only VJ TOOWA2 could conceive of. There is no end in sight to this one-of-a-kind world, and by further perfecting it from multiple angles, a beautiful monstrosity that will remain in the history of cinema will be born.”

Makoto Sasaki(Movie director/Film Director)
Whether one sees the world in which one lives as a dried-up patriarchal society or a musical world protected by simple bonds is so different depending on one's position. The collapse of the community as soon as the heroine gains the power to live her own life is like a dilemma between colonialism and feminism. The title of this film, "EROSION," refers to erosion and disintegration, but if we forget that violence is always inherent in culture, even the innovations that we moderns are chasing after will be ephemeral.
If we forget that violence is always inherent in culture, even the innovations we are chasing after today will be reduced to fleeting illusions.

Marissa(Actress)
“The characters in this film communicate without language, using only their bodies and various sounds in the fields and mountains. They are as beautiful as spirits dancing in the primordial world, yet somehow dangerous. When we witness what happens when these primitive beings eat the forbidden fruit, we are horrified to realize the weight of "something" that we have lost because we have acquired so many things.”

Ichiro Kataoka(kinema-interpreter)
A cool breeze blowing through a modern world full of verbal noise.

A world restricted by silence, a little music, and monochromatic paintings.
We are about to hyperventilate from the information, but we will be able to catch our breath and invite you to take a deep breath.

Preferably in the darkest place possible. Put down your phone.
In other words, you should see it in a movie theater... not a video... this is "cinema".

Tenma Matsunaga(URBANGARDE)

Why did TOOWA2 make this work a world in which color is eliminated to the utmost limit? In the midst of the great outdoors, the sounds that try to convey joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure with facial expressions and the whole body are imbued with a soul that is "hard to describe," and even smells of sweat. I think he thought that the explanation of color was no longer necessary. I think I understand this when I look at people on the street. The scenery reflected in their eyes is vividly colored, but their expressions are blank. Has language deprived us of the "difficulty? This film has something that has been lost in the modern age.

Tomomi Kono(Actor・Producer)
I was impressed by their willingness to take on difficult challenges. The film was overwhelming, with a world view that was beautiful beyond imagination. After watching the film, when I thought about the meaning of the title, it made me think about our encroachment on the natural world. Because there were no words, each person who saw the film found something in it, and I felt that the act of doing so was beautiful. I also thought that I would like to face what I see by listening quietly at times.

Alen Ai(Actor・Producer)
“"Erosion" is the voice of the forest. The "voices" of whisper, cry, lament, anger, and joy of the trees, whose throats quiver and cannot utter a sound. Voices without sound. They sway in the wind, brush their leaves against each other, and sometimes bump their branches against each other. The sound of a small river at the feet of the trees, the chirping of birds and insects. The delicate sound and visuals show how these infinite voices (sounds) of the forest overlap and give birth to a new ability to communicate. The film "Erosion" is a sharp-edged sound film that embodies the voice of the forest through the use of humans and musical instruments. The "Nouvelle Vague," a revolution in the film movement started by French filmmakers Godard and Truffaut at the end of the 1950s. And here in 2022, "Erosion," a film that can be called a new communication film revolution born from the Corona disaster, was born.”

Akiyoshi Imazeki(Film Director)
“It transcends language by discarding words, and brings the story to life by avoiding concrete expressions. A deep groove dominates the screen from beginning to end, and although it seems primitive, I thought it was actually a very modern contemporary play.”

Tomoyuki Tanaka(DJ / Sound Director of Tokyo Olympic / FPM)

THEATER

04.08.2023(sat)~04.14.2023(fri) Late show at Theater SEVEN in Juso Osaka
12.17.2022(sat) ~ 12.23.2022(fri) Late show(21:00) with talk show at EUROSPACE Shibuya




CONTACT

Contact

info@toowa2.com
Press and media representatives, please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns.