あらすじ

かつて日本のハリウッドと呼ばれた京都・太秦。
香美山（福本清三）は、太秦の日映撮影所に所属する斬られ役一筋の大部屋俳優。 大御所の時代劇スター尾上（松方弘樹）の時代劇も打ち切られ、出番がない日々が続く中、 香美山は、駆け出しの女優・さつき（山本千尋）と出会う。

さつきは香美山に殺陣の指導を請うが、「女優さんに立ち回りの役はありまへんで」と言い断る香美山だったが、 さつきの熱意に負け、やがて二人はともに殺陣の稽古をする師弟関係となる。

香美山との稽古の甲斐もあり、時代劇でさつきはチャンスをつかみ、 スター女優の階段を昇るべく、東京に旅立った。

・・・時が経ち、さつきが主演を演じる大作時代劇の撮影が撮影所で行われることになるが、 香美山の姿もなく、お世話になった人が皆引退してしまったことを知り、 いつしか大切なものを見失っていたことに気づく。

体調を崩して引退して故郷で余生を送っていた香美山のもとを、 さつきは訪れて復帰を懇願する。
かたくなに復帰を拒否する香美山にさつきは稽古を申し込む。

一ヶ月後・・・ 香美山は撮影所にいた。

最期に尾上を刀を交わすために。 そして、最愛の弟子さつきに斬られるために・・・。

© ELEVEN ARTS / Tottemo Benri Theatre Company

Director Ken Ochiai's Profile
落合 賢 監督 プロフィール

Ken Ochiai made his first film at age 12. Immediately following his high school graduation, he left his hometown of Tokyo, Japan, to pursue his dream of becoming a film director in the United States. To date, Ochiai has directed 3 theatrical features, and over 30 short films, commercials, and music videos. His first feature film, “Tiger Mask" (based on a legendary Japanese comic book series), was released in the fall of 2013 in several Asian countries. His second feature film, "Uzumasa Limelight," was released in 2014. It won the Chevel Noir (Best Picture) and for Best Actor at the Fantasia International Film Festival, the Crystal Heart Award at the Heartland Film Festival, two audience awards at the New York Asian Film Festival, and Camera Japan in Holland. He was honored with the title of New American Filmmaker at the Hawaii International Film Festival, and received the Young Alumni Award from the USC Asian Pacific Alumni Association in recognition of his achievements in filmmaking.

1983年5月31日生まれ。１２歳から映画作りを始め、日本の高校を卒業後に渡米。南カリフォルニア大学(USC)の映画製作学科に入学。大学卒業後はアメリカ映画協会付属大学院(AFI)の映画監督科に進学し、卒業制作の『ハーフケニス』では、全米監督協会(DGA)から日本人として初めて審査員特別賞を受賞した。2011年にロサンゼルスに映像制作会社、フォトシンスエンターテイメントを設立し、映画、テレビ、CMなど幅広いジャンルの映像を監督している。2012年、梶原一騎原作、辻なおき作画のアニメ『タイガーマスク』の実写版をウエンツ瑛士主演で長編デビュー。2014年、斬られ役として知られる福本清三を主演にした『太秦ライムライト』が公開され、モントリオールのファンタジア国際映画祭で最優秀作品賞と主演男優賞をW受賞するなど国外からも高い評価を得た。

sunday, March 22 @ 4:00 pm

uzumasa Raimuraito (103 min) (2014)
太秦ライムライト
Uzumasa Limelight

Shown in Japanese, with English sub-titles

Cast: Seizo Fukumoto, Chihiro Yamamoto, Hirotaro Honda, Masashi Goda, Hisako Manda, Nenji Kobayashi, Hiroki Matsukata
Director: Ken Ochiai

http://www.uzumasalimelight.com(English)
http://www.uzumasalimelight.net/ (Japanese)

Meet the DIRECTOR, Ken Ochiai (click here for profile) -- Join us after the film for a discussion and reception with the film's director, Ken Ochiai. Special combined price (film and reception) $35.

*On-line sales for Uzumasa Limelight have ended. However, 80 additional tickets will be available at the theatre on a first-come, first-served basis.

STORY

Uzumasa (Kyoto) is considered the Hollywood of Japan.

It has produced many “jidaigeki” films (period dramas with sword fighting) that are loved by many Japanese, and are highly praised all over the world. These films wouldn’t be what they were if it weren’t for the “kirareyaku” (actors whose main job is to be killed by the lead star). Men who are killed, without ever being lit by the limelight…

This story is about those men, the unsung heroes of classic jidaigeki films. They loved and respected the art, even when the production of classic jidaigeki films began to dwindle. Using Charlie Chaplin’s film “Limelight” as an underlying theme, the admirable story of these men dealing with a new generation and fading craftsmanship is told with melancholy and soul.

Articles and Reviews

Uzumasa Limelight Offers a Loving Tribute to Samurai Films (LA Times) http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-uzumasa-limelight-review-20141205-story.html

In the Samurai Business, We Used to Do Our Own Stunts (NY Times) http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/05/movies/uzumasa-limelight-about-a-fading-actor.html?_r=0

Japan's Most-Killed Samurai Stuntman Wins Immortality at Last (The Guardian -UK) http://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/aug/12/japan-most-killed-samurai-stuntman-seizo-fukumoto-prize

Actor Who Specializes in Getting Killed Wins Film Award (The Wall Street Journal) http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2014/08/11/actor-who-specializes-in-getting-killed-wins-film-award/

In Japan, 'Sliced-Up Actors' Are a Dying Breed (National Public Radio) http://www.npr.org/2012/03/28/148922566/in-japan-sliced-up-actors-are-a-dying-breed