Murakami Haruki’s original work “Blind Willow and Sleeping Woman” will be released on July 26th! Japanese version visuals and trailers drawn by “Frog-kun” and others are also unveiled.The first full-length animated film based on Haruki Murakami’s novel “The Blind Willow and the Sleeping Woman” will be released nationwide on July 26th. Along with this, the Japanese version visual and trailer video were unveiled. We also received a comment from Motoyuki Shibata, an American literary scholar and translator who has co-authored with Murakami.

The Blind Willow and the Sleeping Woman'' is based on Haruki Murakami's The Frog Saves Tokyo”, The Birthday Girl'', The Deadly Girl”, The Wind-Up Bird and the Women of Tuesday'', A UFO Lands in Kushiro”, This is a full-length animated film adapted from six short stories from “The Blind Willow and the Sleeping Woman” by musician and animator Pierre Fordes.

Due to the earthquake, people who did not even realize that their lives were at a standstill begin to realize the truth within themselves and awaken. Some experience irreplaceable encounters, while others experience decisive separation. Director Foldes says, “I couldn’t imagine not using a novel that stirs up emotions that are so delicate that words can’t be put into words, and that are so profound that you can’t even imagine them.” They live in a single flow without losing their beauty and rhythm.

The Japanese version visuals released this time center around “Kaeru-kun,” who is very popular among readers of the original work, and include characters such as Komura, Katagiri, and Kyoko. Also pay attention to the cat (known to fans as “Watanabe Noboru”) who snuggles up to Frog. Furthermore, in the trailer, you can get a glimpse of the charm of this film, which seamlessly takes you from the ordinary to the extraordinary, with the unique sensibilities of director Foldes, who is well-versed in various arts such as music and painting.

“I wanted to tell a slightly magical story in a unique way, where the ordinary everyday world is shaken by dramatic events that occur both in reality and in the inner world. I feel that animation is the perfect method to show life, because everything has to be recreated from scratch, which creates a disconnection with reality.This need for shifting and transition is what inspires me as a director. As the director says, It's essential to our approach.'' As the director says, this is a Japanese” story that could only be realized through animation. The trailer also included comments from Motoyuki Shibata, an American literary scholar and translator who is known for co-authoring with Murakami.

“The Blind Willow and the Sleeping Woman”, the first full-length animated film based on Haruki Murakami’s original work, will be released nationwide on July 26th at Eurospace and other theaters.

“The Blind Willow and the Sleeping Woman”

will be released nationwide on Eurospace and other locations on Friday, July 26th.

Director/Screenplay: Pierre Fordes, Original Story: Haruki Murakami ((“The Frog Saves Tokyo,” “Birthday Girl,” “ Voice Cast: Ryan Bommarito, Shoshanna Bilder ,

Marcelo Arroyo, Scott Humphrey , Arthur Holden, Pierre Foldes

2022/109 minutes / France, Luxembourg, Canada, Netherlands co-production

Original title: “Saules Aveugles, Femme Endormie” / English title: “Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman”

Distribution: Eurospace, Interfilm, New York Dear, Lepro Entertainment