Japanese film “Blue Hour,” starring actor Shim Eun-kyung, will hit local theaters next month.

Shim and Japanese co-star Kaho jointly received the Best Actress award at the 34th Takasaki Film Festival, a prestigious film fest equivalent to the Japanese version of the Academy Awards.

The film is about two childhood friends who meet each other as adults when Sunada (played by Kaho) visits her hometown to take care of her sick grandmother and meets her friend Kiyoura (played by Shim).

Despite being her first feature film, director Yuko Hakota was named Best Director in the Asian New Talent Awards division at the 22nd Shanghai International Film Festival.

BY LEE JAE-LIM [lee.jaelim@joongang.co.kr]