TILL THE DAY I CAN LAUGH ABOUT MY BLUES

Anne, a middle school student who doesn’t fit in at school, finds her place in a dimly lit, off-limits staircase.
One day, she receives a magic kaleidoscope at a mysterious store that sells everything and anything.
When Anne looks through the scope, the door that is supposed to be off-limits opens. She meets Aina, a student with the same kaleidoscope, on the rooftop.
The two quickly become friends, but there is a rumor that the rooftop is haunted by a ghost who jumped to death.
Aina is depressed that the summer is coming to an end and makes a proposal to Anne: “Let’s blow up the school with dynamite.”

  • Karin Takeda
    Director
  • Karin Takeda
    Writer
  • Keita Taguchi
    Producer
  • Miyu Watanabe
    Key Cast
    "Anne"
  • Kokona Sumi
    Key Cast
    "Aina"
  • Tomie Kayaoka
    Key Cast
    "Baba"
  • Shino Natsume
    Key Cast
    "Mana"
  • Rin Marumoto
    Key Cast
    "Yurina"
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    ブルーを笑えるその日まで
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 39 minutes 50 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    December 24, 2022
  • Production Budget:
    13,000,000 JPY
  • Country of Origin:
    Japan
  • Country of Filming:
    Japan
  • Language:
    Japanese
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital, ARRI AMIRA
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.35:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • The 20th SKIP CITY INTERNATIONAL D-Cinema FESTIVAL
    Kawaguchi, Saitama
    Japan
    July 17, 2023
    World premier
    Nominated for feature film category in domestic competition
Director Biography - Karin Takeda

25 years old. Graduated from Tokyo Polytechnic University, Department of Imaging Arts.
Since her days in university, she has been involved in many professional and amateur film productions mainly in the production department and as an assistant director.
Her first film as a director, “And I Paint Pandas and Zebras”, a university graduation project, was nominated and won awards at several film festivals.

Directed films:
“And I Paint Pandas and Zebras” (2020/Japan/39min)
SKIP CITY INTERNATIONAL D-Cinema FESTIVAL 2020 – Nominated for the best Japanese Film Competition (Short Film)
Kanazawa Film Festival 2020 - Nominated for Best New Director & Best New Actor
Kobe Independent Film Festival 2020 – Nominated for the competition / Art Award

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

The number one cause of death among teenagers in Japan is suicide. Every year, the number of suicides increases sharply at the end of summer vacation, and I could not think of this problem as someone else’s business.
It was during the summer vacation of my first year of middle school when I first said to myself, “I want to die.” I once put that feeling into action. I am now 25 years old.
Back then, I was all alone. I imagined that I, as an adult, would ride in a time machine and come rescue me.
The title “blue” has many meanings. Melancholy. Blue sky. Youth. Memories of my younger days. It would be hard for my younger self to believe this, but now, I can laugh at all the “blues”. What the adults told me was indeed true: “As long as you’re alive, someday…” But I couldn’t put that into words, so I decided to make this film. What I wanted to hear back then, what I wanted to see back then, what no one told me back then. I believe that this film will help someone like me in the past get through tough times and laugh their blues away.
This film is the time machine that I dreamed of back then.