Human Trust (2013 Film)

Human Trust (Japanese: 人類資金, Hepburn: Jinrui Shikin) is a 2013 Japanese action-thriller film directed by Junji Sakamoto. The screenplay, written by Sakamoto and Harutoshi Fukui, was in development for eight years prior to production. The film was released in Japan on October 19, 2013, and features an international cast.

Promotional poster for the film Human Trust.

Plot

The story follows Yuichi Mafune, a finance broker who moonlights as a conman. He is approached by a mysterious figure known as "M" and his associate, Yuki Seki, who recruit him to steal the "M-fund." The M-fund is a legendary, massive cache of gold and assets allegedly stolen during World War II and hidden in a Japanese bank to finance secret operations. Lured by a substantial fee, Mafune agrees to the mission, which triggers an elaborate international money game involving interests from the United States, Russia, and other nations.

Production

The production of Human Trust involved extensive international location shooting. Filming commenced on February 26, 2013, in Khabarovsk, Russia. On March 4, 2013, the production moved to Thailand for a four-day shoot. Subsequent filming took place in Japan from March 11 to March 30, 2013, with additional sequences filmed in New York City, USA.

Scene from the film Human Trust — A scene from the film Human Trust.

Cast

Koichi Sato as Yuichi Mafune
Shingo Katori as M
Mirai Moriyama as Yuki Seki
Arisa Mizuki as Miyuki Takato
Ittoku Kishibe as Kazuyoshi Honjo
Joe Odagiri as Eiji Kugenuma
Susumu Terajima as Tadashi Sakata
Masaki Miura as Tsujii
Renji Ishibashi as Detective Kitamura
Etsushi Toyokawa as CIA agent Endo
Yoo Ji-Tae as Assassin Osamu Endo
Vincent Gallo as Harold
Tatsuya Nakadai as Nobuhiro Sasakura

Reception

The film had its U.S. premiere at the 33rd Hawaii International Film Festival, held from October 10 to 20, 2013, where it was featured in the "Spotlight on Japan" section.