Some people will do anything to get on television like Tomoaki Hamatsu. MetFilm Distribution have announced The Contestant, the incredible story of the world’s first, reality star is coming to UK cinemas.
Nasubi’s world and today’s wannabe reality stars are completely different. Nowadays many young people actually see it as a career choice, back in the 1990s even early noughties it was a novelty.
The Contestant is directed by British filmmaker Clair Titley and we go back to 1998. Hamatsu known also as Nasubi went to an audtion unaware of what he was about to do. He led into a room ordered to strip naked and the next 15 months naked starving and watched by 15 million people. The only he was fed or clothed was filling in magazine sweepstakes.
He was possibly the the first TV reality star and the experiment Nasubi was involved in, the concept spread like wildfire. The dark side of the show, it highlighted that people willing to give up privacy, endurance and resilence put to the test. To date he is still considered one of Japan’s most famous reality stars. How far would you go?
The film was originally released Stateside by Hulu, here’s there Official Trailer.
The incredible true story of a man who lived for 15 months trapped inside a small room, naked, starving and alone… and completely unaware that his life was being broadcast on national TV in Japan, to over 15 million viewers a week. Before Big Brother, before The Truman Show, there was the shocking story of Nasubi.
The Contestant will be released in UK and Irish cinemas from 24th November. You may have to check your local listings to see if this film will possibly be a limited release.
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