"Minimalist dialogue, distinctive visuals, intriguing deadpan humor and ambiguous homoerotic atmosphere. (...) Indie rock sounds add to pic’s endearingly shaggy allure."
Dennis Harvey, VARIETY

"A journey into the uncertain - simultaneously a road movie and an ingenuous buddy movie. (...) One is reminded of Chris Marker's "La jetée" (...) or of Jim Jarmusch's black-and-white road movies."
Anke Sterneborg, SÜDDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG

 "A peculiarly stretched, post-capitalist form of existentialism unfurls before our eyes and celebrates the crime as the ultima ratio of leisure society. (...) Stylised images whose beauty can't fail to make an impression. (...) Yearning is painted in silver."
Birgit Glombitza, DIE ZEIT

"19, a bittersweet road movie."
Claude Lequereux, INDIEWIRE

"A scenic tour de force, an almost magical account of existence."
Christina Moles Kaupp, DER TAGESSPIEGEL

"Kazushi Watanabe's debut feature is a stroke of genius. A succinct comment on an alienated world, using absurd humour and a vast tapestry of associations."
Claus Löser, BERLINER ZEITUNG

 "A minimal and graphical journey between Jarmush and Kitano."
Julien Welter, REPERAGES

"The pictorial work is a true achievement. The perfect framing is met by visual agony. (...) Captivating."
Sébastien Lecordier, CINE LIBRE

Born on September 16, 1976. Kazushi Watanabe started shooting films when he was a high school student and gained critical acclaim at several film contests held in Japan and abroad.  At the age of 19, he directed and acted in the short film 19 (8mm, 10 min.) which was based on his original screenplay. This short film won the semi-Grand Prize at the Pia Film Festival, which paced the way for his career as a film director.  Since then, he has created many works. Not only is Watanabe a director, he also works as an actor and played the lead role in THE MUSCLE INFLUENZA. His versatility is not limited within the film industry. He enjoys writing various plots for comic strips and was awarded “Kodansha Chiba Tetsuya Honorable Mention” for the Cartoon version of 19, which lead him to produce the movie version of 19 (35mm, 83 min.).

He is also engaged in the field of directing Music Videos and TV commercials, as well as writing the script of TV dramas. In “VISITOR Q”, directed by a genius of the Japanese cinema Miike Takashi, Watanabe played one of its lead roles. His first Feature Film 19 won the best debut price at the Sarajevo Film Festival. Since his feature debut he has directed two more films ("SPACE POLICE" and "THE CAPTAIN TOKIO").

FILMOGRAPHY

2007 THE CAPTAIN TOKIO, Fiction, 95 min.
2004 SPACE POLICE, Fiction, 75 min.
2000 19, Fiction, 83 min.
1995 19, Fiction, 10 min.

Crew

Director: Watanabe Kazushi
Script: Watanabe Kazushi
Cinematographer: Oka Mazakazu
Production Design: Kawanara Masahide
Lighting: Yamakawa Hideaki
Editors: Sugano Yoshio, Watanabe Kazushi
Sound Effects: Sato Kouya
Executive Producer: Tanaka Kozuhiko
Producer: Takemoto Katsuaki, Kodo Tsutomu
Production Company: GAGA Communications inc.

Technical Information

Category: First Feature Film / Fiction
Original Language: Japanese
Format: 35mm
(blown up from 16mm) / colour    
Screen Ratio: 1:1.85
Speed: 24 frames/second
Sound: Dolby SR
Number of Reels: 6
Footage: 2244m

MAIN AWARDS

Sarajevo 2001, Best First Feature
Singapore 2001, Best Asian Feature