THE MOON IS WATCHING

The shocking and controversial masterpiece by Junichi Watanabe?once deemed impossible to adapt?has finally been brought to the big screen.
Set in an ancient French chateau, a forbidden eroticism unfolds from a female perspective.
Elegant strings and delicate piano melodies magically color this tale of love.
Original Soundtrack CD release set for November 18, 2026!

Set in an ancient French chateau, a mysterious world unfolds?where beauty and bewitching allure intersect.

Junichi Watanabe is a legendary author whose reputation was cemented by works such as A Lost Paradise (Shitsurakuen). The film and television adaptations of his novels have consistently created massive sensations and achieved immense box-office success. Yet among Watanabe’s vast bibliography, one particular work ignited fiery debate: Chateau Rouge.

Twelve years after his passing, his daughter?film producer Naoko Watanabe?takes the helm as director to bring this novel to the screen. Her father once remarked that he wrote the story to issue a wake-up call to modern men, warning that "if men fail to truly stand by women, women will leave." Infusing her father's vision with a distinctly feminine perspective, she delivers a story that leaves a vibrant, lingering resonance. It is a fresh reinterpretation that extracts the quiet yet unmistakable ode to women pulsing beneath Watanabe’s literature, handing it directly to us in the 21st century.

Furthermore, without taking sides, the film looks with equal empathy upon the pain and helplessness of both men and women, sublimating the narrative into a deeply poignant gift that resonates with every viewer.

The story follows a enviable couple, yet one where the husband faces sexual rejection from his wife. Driven to desperation, he stage-manages a fake kidnapping and confines her inside a French chateau. While this premise is shocking, the audience's perceptions are brilliantly overturned by the film’s conclusion. By giving equal weight and coexistence to both the husband’s and wife’s perspectives, and visually bringing the novel's central motif of the "chateau" to life through on-location filming in France, the narrative elevates a delicate story into a rich cinematic tapestry.

Lead actors Katsuya Maiguma and Riria Kojima deliver passionate performances filled with innocence, supported by a stellar cast including Hitomi Kuroki, Tokuma Nishioka, Yo Yoshida, and Vincent Perez, who add profound depth to the film.

The film's score is composed by Ryoko Anan, an accomplished pianist and composer known for her work across films, TV dramas, and commercials. Elegant strings and delicate piano melodies fantasticalize this tale of love, beautifully complimenting the lush, striking imagery. The soundtrack album also features the theme song "Gekkabijin" (Night-Blooming Cereus), performed by Australian vocalist Sarah Alainn.

01. 月がみている
02. アヴァンタイトル
03. 木漏れ日
04. 依頼遂行
05. 渡された封筒
06. 古城
07. Bar 会話
08. 回想
09. はじまり
10. 余韻
11. 克彦
12. 気づき
13. ささやき
14. 重奏
15. 交差する想い
16. 月下美人
17. 心の行方
18. 赦し
19. 手紙
20. 教示
21. 真意
22. 願い
23. Queen of the Night
24. 月子
※Track 16, 23: 歌唱：サラ・オレイン