“Boogie Woogie Love Train”- a special music clip from the SDGs theme song

Directed by LESLIE KEE
Performed by YU HAYAMI with special appearance by 100 artists & friends
Produced by TAKASHI FUJII
Wardrobe by YOHJI YAMAMOTO

LESLIE KEE, a photographer renowned for portraits of world celebrities, agreed to lend his talent to the cause of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He has just produced a music video colourfully highlighting the 17 SDGs Goals. This is the very first initiative involving UNIC Tokyo to promote the SDGs through music and images.

The song is a remake of the Anne Lewis classic “Boogie-Woogie Love Train” (music by Tatsuro Yamashita, lyrics by Minako Yoshida) performed by Yu Hayami. The video also features many other volunteering celebrities from a wide range of fields including: Takashi Fujii, Iyo Matsumoto (former idol and peer to Yu Hayami in the “Class of 82”), Sumire (actress/model), Hiroko Mima (2008 Miss Universe Japan), James Jirayu (national figure in Thailand), and Hikaru Ota (rising star of the reality show “Terrace House”). The outfits were provided exclusively by the world-class fashion brand YOHJI YAMAMOTO from his archive collection of the last decade or so.

The complete music video of “Boogie-Woogie Love Train” was showcased on Friday, 15 July in a special event featuring LESLIE KEE held at the Spiral Hall (3^rd Floor, Spiral, 5-6-23 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo) as part of the 25^th Rainbow Reel Tokyo (Tokyo International Lesbian & Gay Film Festival).

LESLIE KEE felt compelled to assist with activities to raise awareness for the SDGs when he agreed to sit on the panel of judges for “My View on Sustainable Development Goals,” a student photo contest co-organized by UNIC Tokyo and Sophia University to mark the launch of the SDGs (entry deadline: 4 September 2016). Here is what he had to say about this project:

“17 goals to make a difference –
that is what the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are.
When I learned about the SDGs, I almost felt Destiny calling.
As a photographer and film director,
I want to harness the power of images to make this world a better place.
Ending poverty, fighting inequality, protecting the environment of the planet…
My instinct told me that this is my mission as an artist.
When I was a child, my family was not very rich.
But here in Japan, I have been blessed with a lot of happy encounters,
and helped by many people who gave me strength.
Now it is my turn as a creator to inspire and empower people around the world.
The SDGs apply to everyone. I want the young to know that the future belongs to them.”

According to Kaoru Nemoto, Director of UNIC Tokyo, “It is Leslie who invited over 100 people, including Yu Hayami and Takashi Fujii, to lend their support for SDGs, and effectively brought about this dream-team project”. With this audio-visual collaboration, UNIC Tokyo expects to encourage more people to take action to support the SDGs.

Main performers in the music video “Boogie-Woogie Love Train”:

Yu Hayami
Takashi Fujii

*Other performers:
Ahn Mika (model)
AYA (trainer/model)
Dyki Miyagi (kickboxer/actor)
EBiSSH (male group)
Fumie Nakajima (actress/entertainer)
Hikaru Ota (model)
Hiroko Mima (model)
Hiromi/Fukami (entertainers)
Ivan (model/entertainer)
Iyo Matsumoto (entertainer)
James Jirayu (actor/singer)
Jaru Jaru (comedians)
Jennifer (actress/singer)
Kazuma Yamane (actor/dancer)
Miracle Hikaru (entertainer)
ROZE (musical unit)
SHOGEN (actor)
Sumire (model/actress)
Vanilla Beans (idols)

What are the SDGs? － 2016 marks the first year of action and implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, adopted at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in September 2015. Each of the 17 SDGs, including “ending all forms of poverty,” “fighting inequality,” and “tackling climate change,” contains various targets for action and reduction. They are applicable to all countries of the world, both developed and developing, successful implementation of the SDGs depends on the actions of each and every one of us, as well as our governments.

For more information, visit:
https://www.unic.or.jp/activities/economic_social_development/sustainable_development/2030agenda/

“My View on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)” Student Photo Contest:
https://www.unic.or.jp/news_press/info/19282/

－Details of film festival and side events－
25^th Rainbow Reel Tokyo (Tokyo International Lesbian & Gay Film Festival):
http://rainbowreeltokyo.com/2016/

Special preview of “Phantom,” a short film directed by LESLIE KEE, in commemoration of the 25^th Rainbow Reel Tokyo:
http://peatix.com/event/181988

“OUT IN JAPAN,” a special exposition of portraits of 1,000 LGBTs taken by Leslie Kee, was held from 12 to 18 July 2016 at the Spiral Garden, located on the ground floor of the Spiral, the venue showcasing the music video “Boogie-Woogie Love Train.”

For more information, visit: http://outinjapan.com/

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