APUC Competition - This film is in the running for APUC’s Francis Kwong Memorial Award (for an emerging new director)
Yukiko a.k.a
(雪子 a.k.a)
An elementary school teacher finds her voice by turning to hip-hop
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
Japan | Drama | 2024 | 98 minutes
In Japanese w/ English Subtitles
Director: Naoya Kusaba
Screenwriter: Ayako Suzuki
Starring: Rio Yamashita, Hina Higuchi, Fusako Urabe, Daichi Watanabe
Film Source: TBD
SYNOPSIS:
Yukiko, a timid 29-year-old elementary school teacher, struggles with student communication and personal insecurities. However, when she begins to dabble in hip-hop, she finds confidence and begins to discover the things that truly define her.
It’s easy to pick up a hobby, but finding the things that define your life is another matter altogether. Rather than depicting another musical genius who miraculously achieves excellence, Naoya Kusaba’s indie drama follows a character who embraces her flaws and limitations in art while using it to find a voice of her own. The result is a heartwarming and grounded feel-good film.
Naoya Kusaba, Director
Born in August 1991, Nagasaki, Japan. After graduating from Oita University, Kusaba studied scriptwriting under Izumi Takahashi at the Film School of Tokyo. He joined a video production company, where he began his career as an assistant director (AD) for variety shows, eventually working his way up to assistant director for TV dramas and films.Taking a leave of absence from the company, he directed an independent film "Super Mikin Corinista," which won both the Nikkatsu Award and the Horipro Award at the PFF Award 2019, a festival celebrating independent films. This film marks his first professional feature-length work.
Screening Date:
Saturday, March 22, 2025
Showtime:
8:00 PM
Doors open 30 minutes before screening.
Location:
AMC NEWCITY14
1500 N. Clybourn Ave.
Chicago, IL 60610
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