Blue Spring

Nippon Cinema   ª 

Set in a Japanese suburb. Kujo has become leader of a group of students through a dangerous ritual. Kujo is admired by Aoki, with whom he has been friends since early childhood. The bored gang passes the sluggishly flowing time before the final exams with small and bigger vulgarities. While the others have to deal with their future, Kujo increasingly loses orientation and also interest in the group. For the first time on his own, disappointed Aoki triggers a tragedy. TOYODA, who has already made a highly acclaimed film about urban loneliness with PORNOSTAR (NC '00), turns to the suburbs this time. In elegant, atmospheric images, he calmly but mercilessly shows the disintegration of hierarchies and friendships and the violence that results from it.

Sat., April 20, 2002, 20:00

Download ICS

Studierendenhaus

German premiere

35mm, Original with English subtitles

Sun., April 21, 2002, 12:30

Download ICS

Studierendenhaus

German premiere

35mm, Original with English subtitles




Toshiaki TOYODA 豊田利晃

Blue Spring

青い春

Set in a Japanese suburb. Kujo has become leader of a group of students through a dangerous ritual. Kujo is admired by Aoki, with whom he has been friends since early childhood. The bored gang passes the sluggishly flowing time before the final exams with small and bigger vulgarities. While the others have to deal with their future, Kujo increasingly loses orientation and also interest in the group. For the first time on his own, disappointed Aoki triggers a tragedy. TOYODA, who has already made a highly acclaimed film about urban loneliness with PORNOSTAR (NC '00), turns to the suburbs this time. In elegant, atmospheric images, he calmly but mercilessly shows the disintegration of hierarchies and friendships and the violence that results from it.

青い春
Aoi haru

Japan 2001

83 minutes

Director
Toshiaki TOYODA

Script
Toshiaki TOYODA based on a manga by Taiyo MATSUMOTO

Cinematography
Norimichi KASAMATSU

Music
Kenji UEDA

About Toshiaki TOYODA
豊田利晃

Toshiaki TOYODA was born in Osaka Prefecture in 1969 and began his film career as a screenwriter for Junji SAKAMOTO. His directorial debut PORNOSTAR (1998 / NC ‘00) won him the Directors Guild of Japan New Directors Award. He won the NIPPON CONNECTION NEWCOMER AWARD with BLUE SPRING (2002 / NC ‘02). Nippon Connection has shown many other of his works, including THE BLOOD OF REBIRTH (2009 / NC ‘10), I’M FLASH (2012 / NC ‘13), THE MIRACLE OF CRYBABY SHOTTAN (2018 / NC ‘19), and THE DAY OF DESTRUCTION (2020 / NC ‘21).




Mayu NAKAMURA

Family Album

Miwa seeks redemption from her lonely life in the city by jumping from affair to affair.

USA 2001

15 minutes

Director
Mayu NAKAMURA