Kagurame (2015 Film)

Kagurame is a 2015 Japanese drama film directed by Yasuo Okuaki. The film explores themes of familial estrangement and reconciliation against the backdrop of traditional Japanese culture.

Plot

The story follows Akine (Rina Takeda), who has harbored a deep resentment toward her father, Kyoujiro (Ren Osugi), since childhood. Following the death of her mother, Kyoujiro prioritized performing shishi kagura—a traditional ritual dance—over caring for his daughter, leading Akine to leave her hometown immediately after graduating from high school.

Five years later, Akine returns home for the 13th anniversary of her mother's death. Upon her arrival, she discovers a woman who bears a striking resemblance to her late mother standing beside her father. As the town prepares for a major festival, Kyoujiro faces the pressure of performing the dance one final time, a task complicated by his declining health.

Cast

• Rina Takeda as Akine Kikuchi
• Ren Osugi as Kyoujiro Kikuchi
• Mariko Tsutsui as Yoko Saito
• Keiko Shirasu as Taeko Kobayashi
• Komaki Se as Akine Kikuchi (young)
• Mayumi Asaka as Yoriko Tamura
• Ryu Morioka as Sho Tamura
• Masayuki Imai as Daisuke Watanabe
• Mei Kurokawa as Sakura Aihara
• Tsunehiko Kamijo as Shigeo Aihara
• Ryoko Takizawa as Eriko Hatano
• Tomomitsu Adachi as Tetsuya Sano
• Nanako Okochi as Bar Owner

Production and Release

The film was directed by Yasuo Okuaki, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Nozomu Namba. It was produced by Shinsuke Mae, with cinematography by Hiroshi Iwanaga. Kagurame was released in Japan on October 24, 2015, with a runtime of 112 minutes. The film was screened at the 39th Montreal World Film Festival in 2015 as part of the First Films World Competition.