TOKYO (TR) – Actress Mei Nagano braved the chill and rain in a shoulder-baring, tight black dress on Monday as the 39th Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) kicked off in Hibiya, reports Sankei Sports (Oct. 27).
The 27-year-old actress walked the red carpet to promote her upcoming streaming drama “Himachi no Jouou” (Queen of Himachi), in which she takes on the gritty role of a former No. 1 cabaret club hostess from Shinjuku’s notorious Kabukicho district.
Making her first domestic media appearance in a year and a half, Nagano captivated fans with a striking look featuring bright red lipstick that stood out against the gloomy, 16-degree weather. Shielded by an umbrella, she offered a refreshing smile to the relentless cheers of the crowd.
“I have a complex mix of feelings — I’m thrilled that everyone welcomed me so warmly, but I’m also worried you might catch a cold in this rain,” Nagano said following her red carpet walk.
In “Himachi no Jouou,” featured in the festival’s special screening section, Nagano not only stars as a seasoned hostess fighting to build Japan’s top cabaret club from the management side, but she also makes her debut as a producer.
The festival’s red carpet finale was headlined by actors Junichi Okada, 45, Tori Matsuzaka, 38, and Nana Seino, 32, who star in the opening film “Sukiyaki – Ue wo Muite Arukou.” As the downpour intensified, Okada chivalrously tilted his umbrella to shield a dressed-up Seino, with camera flashes reflecting off the heavy raindrops clinging to the right arm of his tuxedo.
“It was raining, but the warm enthusiasm from the crowd made me really happy,” Okada said.
Festival navigator Kento Nakajima, 32, embraced the damp weather, declaring it a “blessing of rain for the future of cinema.”
The festival will screen 204 domestic and international films through November 4. Other notable appearances included a chicly dressed Erika Karata, 29, who stars alongside Jiyoung, 32, in the competition film “Katai” (Default), and Mayu Matsuoka, 31, lead of “Otoko Tomodachi” (Male Friend). Highly anticipated screenings include the centerpiece “Godzilla -0.0” directed by Takashi Yamazaki and the closing film “Colony” by Yeon Sang-ho.
