By / Edited and reported by the MOOK Scenic Spots Editorial Team
Adapted from Yukio Mishima’s classic masterpiece 【The Old Capital】, which has been made into films twice and received high acclaim both times. The new version of The Old Capital is not only a fresh creation and production, but its plot also focuses on the continuation of the original story. After the twin sisters, the original protagonists, marry and have children, they each face the bonds and legacies between mother and daughter. The setting also shifts from Kyoto to Paris, which similarly exudes historical charm. Through the interweaving of two narrative threads and the fusion of Eastern and Western cultures, the film brings together the essence of traditional Japanese culture, taking audiences into the thousand-year-old splendor of Kyoto.
Still from 【The Old Capital】. (Image provided by Skyhorse)
The plot revolves around a century-old “Sada Kimono” shop in Kyoto’s Muromachi district. Sada Chieko (played by Miki Nakatani), who has inherited the family business for 20 years, struggles with whether to let her daughter Maiko (played by Kou Shibasaki) continue her destiny. Meanwhile, Maiko is also torn between venturing out into the world or staying to inherit the family trade.
Still from 【The Old Capital】. (Image provided by Skyhorse)
Meanwhile, Chieko’s twin sister, Nakata Naoko (played by Miki Nakatani in a dual role), who was separated from Chieko at a young age and now works in forestry, is deeply mired in the plight of a struggling business. Naoko’s daughter Yui (played by Riko Narumi) goes to France to study painting, but encounters a creative block. Just as Naoko plans to visit her in Paris, Maiko is also set to accompany her calligraphy teacher on an exhibition trip there.
Still from 【The Old Capital】. (Image provided by Skyhorse)
The influences passed down from the two mothers to their daughters, the women living in Kyoto’s traditional families, are about to reach a crossroads in life, and their bonds are set to move all of Japan.
Poster for 【The Old Capital】. (Image provided by Skyhorse)
Info】
The Old Capital
Director: Yuki Saito
Screenwriter: Chieko Suzaki
Cast: Miki Nakatani, Kou Shibasaki, Riko Narumi
Genre: Literary Drama
Distributor: Skyhorse
Release Date: February 24, 2017