Red Blu-ray + Bonus DVD

To love was to live. Director Yukiko Mishima's latest film stars Kaho, Satoshi Tsumabuki, Tasuku Emoto and Shotaro Mamiya, adapting Red by Naoki Prize-winning author Rio Shimamoto.

Shimamoto's stories resonate with adult women. In 2018, she won the 159th Naoki Sanjugo Prize for First Love, having explored contemporary women's love and the difficulties of their lives in many works. Published in 2014, Red opened new territory through sensational descriptions that crossed conventional ethical boundaries. Its shocking content divided opinion and generated discussion; the novel had reached 340,000 copies in print when this adaptation was released.

Mishima portrays awkward yet lovable men and women. Her 2017 film Dear Etranger sharply explored the subtleties and psychology of family relationships, winning numerous awards including the Special Grand Prize of the Jury in the competition at the 41st Montreal World Film Festival. Here, she focuses on men and women, examining a woman's way of life through connections between heart and body. Intimate, immediate images follow the feelings of awkward adults in love. The film's ending differs from the novel, and the protagonist's choice became a major topic when it opened in cinemas.

Kaho plays Toko Suguri, drawing on her experience in a wide range of roles. Reunited with a man she once loved, Toko begins to free herself in both mind and body, becoming more independent and beautiful. Kaho's delicate yet bold performance opens new territory. Satoshi Tsumabuki, an essential presence in Japanese cinema, plays her former lover Kurata. Approaching forty, he conveys a wistful sensuality and leaves a vivid impression through the strength of his acting.

Tasuku Emoto, winner of the leading actor award at the 73rd Mainichi Film Awards, plays Kodaka, who is attracted to Toko. He brings lightness to a character with an unusual charm and freedom. Shotaro Mamiya, celebrating ten years since his debut, plays Toko's husband Makoto. His husband unconsciously wounds Toko yet remains difficult to dislike, revealing another side of Mamiya's acting. Reiko Kataoka, Yoshi Sako, Ikuko Yamamoto, Kazuyuki Asano and Kimiko Yo complete the accomplished cast.

A man and a woman drive through a night of heavy snow. Their journey along a road with no visible destination mirrors their relationship. Toko thought she had a life without problems: a husband others envied and a lovely daughter. After ten years, she meets Kurata again. Gradually, he untangles feelings that had nowhere to go. But Kurata has a secret. As past and present intersect, what decision will Toko make that no one could have imagined?

The main Blu-ray contains the 123-minute film and a trailer collection. The accompanying bonus DVD contains making-of footage and event recordings. A sixteen-page leaflet is enclosed. The original first pressing included a custom case, subject to the copy supplied.