The movie
Kokuho
Just after the war, as Japan enters a period of rapid economic growth, Kikuo is born into a Yakuza family. His unusual fate eventually leads him to be taken in by a kabuki actor. He goes through turbulent times, but his talent as a kabuki performer begins to flourish.
Description
After the death of his father, the head of a Yakuza gang, Kikuo is taken under the wing of renowned kabuki actor Hanjiro Hanai. Together with Shunsuke, Hanjiro’s only son, he begins an apprenticeship under him. The two young men grow up like brothers and decide to devote their lives—with the necessary rivalry—to the art of kabuki. Over the decades, their relationship and dedication to the art form are put to the test, driven by their shared desire for fame on the stage.
With Kokuho, director Sang-il Lee returns to the grand tradition of classical Japanese cinema. In this sweeping family epic, in which art, ambition and heritage are inextricably intertwined, a story unfolds about the high price of devotion.
