There were a number of notable films at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, including Jury Award-winner “Josephine,” “Take Me Home,” “Bedford Park,” and “The Friend’s House Is Here.” But outside of “Josephine,” none have matched the hype of “Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!,” a bright, deep, and moving crowd-pleaser set in the world of Tokyo’s ballroom dancing scene.
Now here comes the first teaser for the film, which should hit theaters sometime this Fall. Rinko Kikuchi stars as a dancer who leaves behind competitions after the tragic death of her former partner. But when friends convince her to come back to the studio, she stumbles upon its new instructor: a bold, brilliant talent who might, however messily, give her a second chance at dance, life, and love.
Here’s an official synopsis for “Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!,” courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics:
Haru and Luis love competing in Tokyo’s ballroom dance scene, but after tragedy strikes, Haru withdraws into isolation. When friends coax her back to the studio, she develops an infatuation with the new instructor. She must face what comes next as sparks fly.
Kikuchi stars in “Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!” with Alberto Guerra, Alejandro Edda, You, Yoh Yoshida, and Damián Alcazar.
Joseph Kubota Wladyka directs “Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!,” and also co-writes the film’s script with Nicholas Hunyh. He also produces the film with Kimberly Parker Zox and Mao Nagakura.
As noted earlier, “Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!” had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Directing Award Dramatic prize. The Playlist gave it a rave review from the festival, awarding the film an A-/B+ grade; read the review here.
Stay tuned for an official release date for “Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!” from Sony Pictures Classics. In the meantime, watch a teaser for the movie below.
