2017-06-01

Main Cast and Crew of Midnight Diner 2, March Comes in like a Lion and My Other Home Show up on Stag

Attributable to its huge influence within the whole Asia and extensive popularity among filmgoers, the Shanghai International Film Festival is attracting many highly anticipated new works to hold premiere at its international platform every year. In the Grand Premiere this year, four newly-arriving productions will unveil themselves in front of the Chinese fans, i.e. the long-awaited Midnight Diner 2, March Comes in like a Lion (Part 1), March Comes in like a Lion (Part 2) and the motivational story about basketball superstar Stephon Marbury My Other Home.

Screening List

My Other Home

Midnight Diner 2

March Comes in like a Lion (2 parts)

影片介绍

1. My Other Home

Directed by: Larry Yang

Starring: Stephon Marbury/ Wu Chun/ He Bing/ Jessica Jung/ Wang Qingxiang

In the Grand Premiere of Shanghai International Film Festival this year, a special film will appear in front of the audience for the first time – the basketball inspirational film My Other Home, which is based a true story. Its major crew and cast including Larry Yang, Stephon Marbury, Sunny Wang, Wu Chun, Godfrey Tsao and Vivian Dawson will come to Shanghai to meet with fans.

Anyone who is familiar with basketball must know Stephon Marbury, the basketball player born and raised in the Coney Island ghetto of Brooklyn, New York City. He has started playing basketball since three. Thanks to his superior talents and unimaginable hard training, he gained reputation in his teenage years and was named New York State Mr. Basketball. When he was a freshman in college, he joined NBA as everyone has expected and began his career to be a superstar. However, his toughness constantly boosted his egos and individuality diminished his reputation. In 2007, he suffered a lot from his father’s sudden pass-away, and fell into decadency. Finally, he chose to leave NBA and restart his career in CBA, and won the CBA Champion with his team. For himself, he has been completely adapted to the life in Beijing, which is his second home now. It is a realistic and inspirational story of a New Yorker in Beijing.

2. Midnight Diner 2

Directed by: Joji Matsuoka

Starring: Kaoru Kobayashi/ Aoba Kawai/ Koichi Sato/ Sosuke Ikematsu

No matter on big or small screen, the “heartwarming” Midnight Diner series are popular across the Asian region. Starring Kaoru Kobayashi and directed by Joji Matsuoka, the sequel of Midnight Diner is to be officially released in the middle of July in China. Another surprise is, the film will be premiered at the Shanghai International Film Festival in advance, which becomes its debut in China.

The story of Midnight Diner 2 still takes place in the humble and small restaurant. When the evening lights are on, men and women, in their exhausted staggering, hang around on the streets after one day’s work and look for a shelter they can have a rest and chat. At some insignificant corner of the city, a warm midnight diner is open in quietness. The midnight restaurant, opening at midnight and closing in the next morning, may fulfill the small wish for condolence of the city dwellers. Though it merely offers several dishes and usual arrack or beer, the people from all walks of life are willing to sit around the silent yet kind chef, talking to themselves or opening their minds to others. How will the people hit by misfortune cure their wounds and walk out of difficulty; “midnight diner” is the witness under the cold and cheerless light.

It is worth mentioning that the director Joji Matsuoka and leading actor Kaoru Kobayashi will also come to the SIFF to have a face-to-face meeting with the audience. Last year, the first volume of Midnight Diner was also screened here, which has raised huge fervor in Shanghai. This time, the sequel comes back to Shanghai with the main cast, definitely to be a highlight of the festival.

3. March Comes in like a Lion (2 parts)

Directed by: Keishi Ōtomo

Starring: Ryunosuke Kamiki/ Kasumi Arimura/ Shōta Sometani

After a favorable reception in Japan, the manga-based live-action films March Comes in like a Lion (Part 1) and March Comes in like a Lion (Part 2) will have an international premiere at the Shanghai International Film Festival.

The two parts of March Comes in like a Lion focus on the 17-years-old shogi (Japanese chess) player Rei Kiriyama, whose parents died in an traffic accident, meets the three Kawamoto sisters and finds back the long lost love and joy. The manga March Comes in like a Lion was created by Chica Umino, noted for being the author and creator of the Honey and Clover series and enjoying wide popularity among manga fans. The director Keishi Ōtomo has produced numerous superb manga-based films recently, including the live-action Rurouni Kenshin and Museum, who will also see the Chinese fans in this summer.

The biggest selling point of the work is for sure the eye-catching cast: with “ACG Teenager” Ryunosuke Kamiki and “Village Beauty” Kasumi Arimura as the hero and heroine, as well as the impressive performance of Shōta Sometani, Takahashi Issei, Kase Ryō and Hideaki Itō, the film will surely be a hit.