Two elite young female kendo fencers are drawn into a high-stakes rivalry — and a surprising, uneasy friendship — in this funny and touching "frenemy" fable based on the 2007 novel by Tetsuya Honda.

Fifteen-year-old Kaori is an elite kendo fencer who has trained since age three under the strict guidance of her father. Known for her competitive prowess, Kaori is stunned when she loses a match to the nonchalant Sanae, and becomes intent on settling the score and restoring her pride the next year, when both girls will be attending the same high school. Sanae, on the other hand, has all but forgotten the match — but when Kaori calls her out in front of the school's kendo team, the girls' rivalry heats up. As the outgoing, carefree Sanae and the bookish, stoic Kaori uneasily navigate their appreciation of (and annoyance at) each other's opposing qualities, they reach a level of mutual respect that only heightens the stakes of their final battle. Based on a 2007 novel by Tetsuya Honda, Bushido Sixteen is filled with thrilling swordplay, comedy, and touching moments of friendship.

http://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/nextwave/2013/2330018914