Sakuran さくらん
Poster of the movie Sakuran Mika Ninagawa (2006).
DR
Sakuran (2006)
A film directed by Mika Ninagawa(b.1972). Becoming an oiran, the most important courtesan in town, is not an easy ride. When just a girl, Kiyoha is sold into prostitution in Yoshiwara, the red-light district of Edo (now Tokyo), but she has a fiery temper, disobeys the rules and has a tendency to misbehave: imperfections that are absolutely necessary to reach the higher echelons of their small world. The viewer follows the rise of this remarkable girl, amid jealousy, tension, love, and a desire for freedom.
Faithfully adapted from the manga of the same name, Sakuran charms through the director’s use of bright colors. The colors contrast with the gloominess of a daily life that is hard to bear to create stunning scenes. It's no surprise considering director Mika Ninagawa is also a fashion photographer who has won many awards for her work. For the soundtrack, Ringo Shiina creates melodies combining tradition with modernity, much like the music of "Marie Antoinette" by SofiaCoppola, and offers us a rock 'n' roll vision of old Japan.
K.P. by JapanExperience
