TOKYO — Masami Nagasawa, Haruka Ayase, Kaho, and Suzu Hirose will star in Hirokazu Kore-eda‘s upcoming pic “Kamakura Diary.”
Based on a best-selling, award-winning comic by Akimi Yoshida that has been serialized in the Flowers monthly magazine since 2007, the film will depict the lives of four sisters in the title city.
Nagasawa, Ayase and Kaho will play three sisters living together in their grandmother’s house in Kamakura when a 13-year-old half-sister, played by Hirose, appears on the scene. The former three are established stars with long lists of credits, while Hirose is a newcomer cast by Kore-eda in an audition.
“Kamakura Diary” is scheduled for a summer 2015 release, with Gaga and Toho jointly distributing.
Given Kore-eda’s track record, which includes a jury prize at Cannes last year for his family drama “Like Father, Like Son” (pictured), festival interest is sure to be keen. Also, with “Like Father, Like Son” earning $31 million in Japan, Kore-eda is now viewed by the local biz as a director with BO clout, making a big PR push by co-distributors Gaga and Toho more likely.
