A first trailer has just been released for Hiroki Ryuichi's "RIVER", starring young actress Renbutsu Misako.

Director Hiroki's latest film tackles the subject of the 2008 Akihabara massacre (or 'Akihabara Torima Jiken'). Reportedly, it has long been a wish of him to address this topic.

"RIVER" tells the story of 'Hikari' (Renbutsu), a young woman who lost her loved one during the Akihabara massacre that happened in June 2008, and now tries to cope with the loss and pain. She does that by returning to the very place of the massacre, walking down the streets of the ever-lively Akihabara district in Tokyo.

While looking for traces left behind by her loved one, she comes in contact with various people from various backgrounds. She even gets scouted for a maid cafe, and gradually lets the peculiarity of Akihabara help her regain normality in her life.

Hiroki commented, "Nowadays, people in their 20s and 30s have more difficulties overcoming the distance between them and other people. It seems like human relations have become thinner, with people getting deceived and lacking self-confidence. But when looking at the present, past and future, it becomes evident that people are still somehow connected to each other, no matter how scattered they are with their lives."

The production of the movie was affected by the Great Tohoku Earthquake as well, leaving with Hiroki with doubts about his work. "What's the meaning of movies? What can we really achieve with them? In order to find answers to those questions, I had no choice but to go to the areas struck by the earthquake and tsunamis myself and look for some clues. Finally, the Akihabara tragedy and the Tohoku tragedy overlapped each other. The feelings I experienced at those areas, I believe that you should convey them through fiction and let them become a memory for the following generations."

"RIVER" is scheduled to open in Japan on March 10th, 2012.

You can watch the trailer below!

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Source: eiga.com