a still from the Japanese film, Sakuran

Sakuran is a anti-Memoirs of a Geisha, a riposte to the Hollywood view of Japan and Japanese women. Based on the Sakuran manga by Anno Moyoko, the plot centres around a young girl sold as a child to an upmarket brothel set in Edo period Japan and her determination to break out and be free. If sounds heavy going it isn’t, the heroine is fierce, wise-cracking and unrelentingly defiant - basically the opposite of the stereotypical Japanese woman. The lead actress is gravelly-voiced model/actress/punk rocker and the director, Mika Ninagawa set out to intentionally challenge the Geisha idea of femininity;

“Of course, women have become stronger in some ways. But our mother’s generation had to fight. Now girls don’t have to. Perhaps they don’t notice that they are trapped. I wanted the movie to push them forward, to say: “Stand on your own feet and walk.” I hope Kiyoha will be a hero for girls.”

The film’s been an unexpected hit with young Japanese women so it does seem that Mika understands her audience. And what does this mean for brands? Perhaps that they should start connecting less to the Geisha mindset and more to their audience’s inner Kiyohas.

You can watch the Japanese language trailer here.