| Hana & Alice | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Shunji Iwai |
| Written by | Shunji Iwai |
| Produced by | Shunji Iwai |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Noboru Shinoda[1] |
| Edited by | Shunji Iwai |
| Music by | Shunji Iwai |
Production company | Rockwell Eyes |
| Distributed by | Toho |
Release date |
|
Running time | 135 minutes |
| Country | Japan |
Hana and Alice (花とアリス,Hana to Arisu) is a 2004Japanese teenromance film by directorShunji Iwai. The film, shot onHDdigital video by thedirector of photography, Noboru Shinoda, who shared a longstanding working relationship withShunji Iwai, concerns the life of two girls, the titular Hana (Anne Suzuki) and Alice (Yū Aoi), and the stress placed on their friendship as they move intohigh school.
It was theatrical released in Japan in 2004. It moved into theaters in otherAsian territories later in 2004 and 2005, and into westernfilm festivals, such asNew York Asian Film Festival andSeattle International Film Festival.
When Alice develops a crush on a stranger at the train station, she offers her best friend, Hana, the stranger's "half brother," Masashi. Hana declines, but after watching Masashi from a distance, she develops feelings for him. She stalks him by travelling on his regular train throughout the winter.
During the spring, Hana and Alice enroll at Masashi's high school. Hana learns that Masashi is a member of the story-telling club, which prompts her to join. As she continues to track him secretly, she witnesses him crash into a garage door, which leaves him unconscious. As he awakes, he finds Hana leaning over him. She reveals that a blow to Masashi's head has given him a case ofamnesia and that she is his girlfriend. Hana and Masashi soon hang out as a couple while she continues deceiving him about their relationship. Alice becomes involved with Hana's lies by pretending she is Masashi's ex-girlfriend. Alice, in the meanwhile, gets scouted for a modelling job and succeeds in getting in. She also tries to reconnect with her father.
Through a series of events, alove triangle unexpectedly develops between Hana, Alice and Masashi, when Masashi falls in love with Alice, who he still believes is his ex. Masashi eventually learns of Hana's lie about his amnesia and reacts accordingly, which tests Hana and Alice's friendship. Alice proceeds to audition for a modelling job for the front page of a magazine cover. To prove her worth, she performs a ballet routine that impresses the casting director. The final shot finds Hana and Alice giggling at Alice's front cover photo.
DirectorShunji Iwai was the director, producer, screenplay author and composer for the film.[1]
Hana and Alice was released in Japan on March 13, 2004.[1] The film was shown at theSeattle International Film Festival on June 8, 2005.[1] Aprequel,The Case of Hana & Alice, was released in February 2015.[2]
