London-born Bernard Rose was already a BBC award-winning filmmaker by the age of 15, before stints on Jim Henson’s The Muppet Show and in 1981, The Dark Crystal. After earning a Master's from the National Film and Television School, he directed MTV videos for the likes of UB40, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Roy Orbison and Roger Waters; then directed TV films for the BBC. Rose made his feature debut with the dark fantasy Paperhouse (1988), and came to American attention with the 1992 cult horror classic Candyman, with music by Philip Glass. Rose then wrote and directed several critically acclaimed titles, including Immortal Beloved (1994), Anna Karenina (1997) Ivans xtc, (2000), and Two Jacks (2012, his fifth Leo Tolstoy adaptation). He shot the Japanese-language Samurai Marathon in rural Japan, teaming up once again with Philip Glass and his frequent collaborator, actor Danny Huston.

Komatsu Nana is on the cusp of superstardom in Japan, in demand not only as an actress but also known as an influencer and fashion icon. Martin Scorsese recognized her appeal early on, choosing her for a small role in Silence (2016); and as the kickass heroine of Samurai Marathon, she proves why she deserved the recognition. Komatsu made her film debut just 5 short years ago, playing Yakusho Koji’s wild daughter in Nakashima Tetsuya’s The World of Kanako (2014). She was honored with many acting awards and won the Japan Academy Prize for Rookie of the Year. She then chose to follow an unusual path: rather than appearing in dozens of films and TV shows, which is typical for Japan’s up-and-coming actors, she has selected projects carefully and taken roles that demonstrate an impressive versatility in one so young (she is just 23). Among other notable titles, she has starred in Bakuman (2015), Prophecy (2015), Destruction Babies (2016), Drowning Love (2016) and It Comes (2018).