On November 5, it was announced that young actress Arimura Kasumi is going to star as a brilliant young conductor in the upcoming orchestra-themed movie directed by Saiga Toshiro ('Chest!'),�Little Maestro'.

'Little Maestro' is based on the manga of the same name, which is being serialized in the magazine 'Gekkan The Marguerite'. It's set in the Fukura harbor and fishing village in Shikamachi, Ishikawa.

The small fishing village is suffering from a rapidly declining population, and one of the most popular free-time activities for everyone above thirty is the local amateur orchestra called 'Fukura Isaribi Orchestra'. One day, the old conductor suddenly passes away, and the village reaches out to his granddaughter, a senior high school student who happens to be a gifted 'little maestro' herself, to save the orchestra.

In order to give the movie an authentic orchestra atmosphere, it also features the famous musical director and conductor Inoue Michiyoshi, the ORBIS NOTO orchestra, the Nanao Wind Instrument Orchestra, the Ishikawa Philharmonie, and many local amateur musicians.

Other roles in the movie include Shaku Yumiko as a violinist and EXILE's Matsumoto Toshio (aka MATSU) as a strong supporter of the orchestra. The remaining members of the orchestra are played by veteran actors Kanie Keizo, Sasai Eisuke, Tsutsui Mariko, and Maeda Gin.

Music duo moumoon has written the movie's theme song 'Utsukushii Hito'.

Six theaters in Ishikawa are already going to screen 'Little Maestro' starting from December 1, while the official nationwide premiere is scheduled for February 2013.

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Source: eiga.com