Japan - September 28

Pre-Production

IT'S ONLY TALK
(Studio Three) Budget: US$1m. Backers:CinaQuanon, Happinet Pictures, Eisei Gekijo. Int'l sales:Gold View. Dist (Jap):CineQuanon.Drama. A heartwarming drama about a woman in her mid-thirties who experiencesthe loss of her parents and her boyfriend, though continues living positively. Prod:Akira Morishige. Dir:Ryuichi Hiroki. Scr:Haruhiko Arai. DoP:Kazuhiro Suzuki.Main cast: Shinobu Terashima, Etsushi Toyokawa, Tomoroo Tahuchi. Shootingstarts in Japan in early November.
Contact: Kiyo Joo, Gold View, (81) 35347 2501, kiyo@goldview.co.jp

LITTLE RANDY ANDSHINING BOY (Working Title)
(Cine Bazaar) Budget: Y550m. Backers:Fuji TV, Toho, S.D.P. Int'l sales: Fuji TV. Dist (Jap): Toho. Drama. A storyabout a young boy who goes on a program in Thailand to be a professionalelephant trainer. Exec prod: Chihiro Kameyama. Prods: Hiroyoshi Koiwai,Kazutoshi Wadakura. Dir: Shunsaku Kawake. Scr: Sumio Omori. DoP: Hiroshi Takase.Main cast: Yuuya Yagira. Shooting in Japan and Thailand from mid October 2004.
Contact: Mina Mita, Fuji Television Network, (81) 35500 8294,minako.mita@fujitv.co.jp

NEGOTIATOR (WorkingTitle)
(Robot) Budget: Y500m. Backers: NegotiatorProduction Committee. Int'l sales: Fuji TV. Dist (Jap): Toho. Action thriller.Spin-off of the mega hit title, Bayside Shakedown 2. The story about anegotiator who faces a subway hijack in Tokyo. Exec prod: Chihiro Kameyama. Prod:Hirotsugu Usui. Dir: Katsuyuki Motohiro. Scr: Seiji Sogo. DoP: Akira Sakou. Maincast: Yusuke Santa Maria, Miki Mizuno. Shooting in Japan from mid October toDecember 2004. Release date: May 2005.
Contact: Mina Mita, Fuji Television Network, (81) 35500 8294, minako.mita@fujitv.co.jp

STARFISH HOTEL
(100meterfilms) Budget: US$1.1m. Backers:100meterfilms, Kadokawa Trust of Fund for Publishing-Business Promotion. Int'lsales: Onoma (France). Dist (Jap): Angel Cinema. Thriller. A story ofa man whose wife mysterious goes missing forcing he himself to step into Tokyo'sunderground sex industry and solve a murder case. Exec prod: Martin Rycroft.Prods: Rob Maillard, Tsuyoshi Toyama. Dir:John Williams. Scr: John Williams.DoP: Benito Strangio. Shooting in Japan from November to December 2004.
Contact: Rod Maillard, 100meterfilms, (81)33358 3411, info@100meterfilms.com

YAMATO (OTOKOTACHI NOYAMATO)
(Toei) Dist (Jap): Toei. Drama.Based on the real tale of the crews on a super submarine Yamato in World WarII. Exec prod: Haruki Kadokawa, Sunao Sakagami. Dir: Junya Sato. Shooting startsin Japan in Spring 2005.
Contact: Toei, (81) 33535 7621

In Production

SASORI
Backers: Art Port, BS-i. Int'lsales: Art Port. Dist (Jap): Art Port. Action. The remake of hit erotic actionseries, Sasori (Scorpion) in 1970s. A female prisoner fights with her inmates.Exec prod: Junichi Matsushita. Prod: Shin Yoneyama. Dir: Kenji Sonoda. Scr:Yoshihiro Izumi. Main cast: Takami Mizuhashi, Masato Ibu.
Contact: Art Port, (81) 35469 8735

SEMISHIGURE
(Toho Dentsu, Sedic International,K-7, Juneon Entertainment) Budget: Backers: Toho Dentsu, Sedic International,K-7, Jeneon Entertainment. Dist (Jap): Toho. Love Story. A young samuraiwarrior struggles to make his life in the battles within rural powers. Dir:Mitsuo Kurotsuchi. DoP: Junichi Tozawa. Main cast: Somegoro Ichikawa, YoshinoKimura, Ryo Fukawa, Koji Imada, Mieko Harada. Shooting in Japan until laterSeptember.
Contact: Toho, (81) 33213 6821

YOKAI DAISENSO
(Kadokawa Pictures) Budget: Y1.3b.Int'l sales: Kadokawa Pictures. Dist (Jap): Shochiku. Sci-Fi fantasy. HarryPotter like Sci-Fi fantasy about a young boy who fights against goblins to saveJapan with a magical sword. Exec prod: Tsuguhiko Kadokawa. Prods: Fumio Inoue,Shun Shimizu. Dir: Takashi Miike. Scr: Takashi Miike, Mitsuhiko Sawamura,Takehiko Itakura. DoP: Hideo Yamamoto. Main cast: Ryunosuke Kamiki, KahoMinami, Bunta Sugawara, Chiaki Kuriyama, Hiroyuki Miyawako. Shooting until midDecember 2004.
Contact: Kadokawa Pictures, (81) 35229 2076

In Post-Production

ASHURAJO NO HITOMI
(Shochiku) Budget: $8m. Int'l sales:Shochiku. Dist (Jap): Shochiku. Samurai action drama. A samurai battles withmonsters that haunt ancient capital Edo. Prod: Hideshi Miyajima. Dir: YojiroTakita. Scr: Haru Kawaguchi. DoP: Katsumi Yanagishima. Main cast: SomegoroIchikawa, Rie Miyazawa, Atsuro Watanabe, Kanako Higuchi. Release date: Spring2005.
Contact: Kiwamu Sato, Shochiku, (81) 35550 1623

AZUMI REVOLUTION (VOL2)
(Toho, Nippon Herald, TBS, Dentsu,Shogakukan, Toshiba Entertainment, Amuse Soft Entertainment, Imagica, SedicInternational, Tristone Entertainment) Backers: Toho, Nippon Herald, TBS,Dentsu, Shogakukan, Toshiba Entertainment, Amuse Soft Entertainment, Imagica,Sedic International, Tristone Entertainment. Int'l sales: TristoneEntertainment. Dist (Jap): Toho. Sequel to hit samurai action film Azumi.Female warrior Azumi fights with a Shogun for the right to rule in 17th-centuryJapan. Prod: Mataichiro Yamamoto. Dir: Shusuke Kaneko. Main cast: Aya Ueto,Yuma Ishigaki, Chiaki Kuriyama, Reiko Takashima, Shun Oguri. Release date:Spring 2005.
Contact: Shintaro Tsuchikawa, Tristone Entertainment, (81) 35433 2121, shintaro@zar.att.ne.jp

GODZILLA FINAL WARS
(Toho Studio) Backers: Toho. Dist(Jap): Toho. The final instalment of the famous Japanese monster Godzilla series.Set in the near future, this time the mutant monsters simultaneously attack NewYork, Paris, Tokyo and Shanghai. Prod: Shogo Tomiyama. Dir: Ryuhei Kitamura.DoP: Takumi Furuya. Main cast: Masahiro Matsuoka, Rei Kikukawa. Release date:December 11, 2004.
Contact: Toho, (81) 33213 6821

IMA AINI YUKIMASU
(TBS, Toho, Hakuhodo Media Partners,Shogakukan, S.D.P, MBS) Backers: TBS, Toho, Hakuhodo Media Partners,Shogakukan, S.D.P, MBS. Dist (Jap): Toho. Drama. A heartwarming story about afamily whose deceased mother is miraculously revived although with memory loss.Exec prod: Hideyuki Honma. Prods: Minami Ichikawa, Kei Haruna, Shin Horiguchi.Dir: Hiroyasu Tsuchii. Main cast: Yuko Takauchi, Shido Nakamura, Akashi Takei,Mikako Ichikawa, You.
Contact: Toho, (81) 33213 6821

JAM FILMS S
(Studio3) Backers: Micott&Basara,Sega, Amuse Soft Entertainment, Aoi Advertising Promotion, Toei Channel. Int'l sales: Micott&Basara. Dist (Jap): PhantomFilm. Drama. The third entry in the series of seven short films directed by upcomingyoung talents. Exec prods: Shinya Kawai, Sumiji Miyake, Munehiro Umemura. Prod: Haruo Umekawa. Dir: Kenji Sonoda, Ryuichi Takatsu, HitoshiIshikawa, Ryo Teshima, Yuichi Abe, Daizaburo Harada, Masaki Hamamoto. Scr: Kenji Sonoda, Ryuichi Takatsu, RyuIchiro, Isao Yukisada, Ryo Teshima, Yuu Hajime, Takuro Fukuda, George Iida. Main cast: ZEEBRA, KenichiEndo, Otoha, Koyuki, Ren Osugi, Haruka Ayase, Satomi Ishihara, Tokio Emoto, RinaUchiyama, SUNEOHAIR, Naohito Fujiki, Manami Konishi. Release date: January 2005.
Contact: Karsten Kuestner / Machiko Komatsu, Micott&Basara, (81) 3 37174477, komatsu@micott.jp

KITA NO ZERONEN
(Toei) Budget: Y1.5bn Backers: KitaNo Zeronen production committee. Int'l sales: Toei. Dist (Jap): Toei. Dramatictale of a woman who settles down in a barren land on the northern island ofJapan in the late 19th century. Dir: Isao Yukisada. Scr: Machiko Nasu. DoP:Nobuyasu Kita. Main cast: Sayuri Yoshinaga, Ken Watanabe, Etsushi Toyokawa, SatomiIshihara, Yuriko Ishida. Release date: January 2005.
Contact: Toei, (81) 33535 7621

KUCHU TEIEN
(Film Makers) Budget: Y150m. Backers:Little More, Pony Canyon, Eisei Gekijyo, Asahi Broadcasting, CulturalPublishers, Asmik Ace. Int'l sales: Pony Canyon. Dist (Jap): Asmik Ace. Drama.A heart-warming drama about a mysterious girl who helps a troubled family toregain its family bond. Exec prod:Char-Pang Sun, Hirofumi Ogoshi, Tomiyasu Ishikawa, Yoshihiro Fukazawa, MasajiShimamoto, Tamotsu Shiina. Prod: Miyoshi Kikuchi. Dir: Toshiaki Toyoda. Scr: ToshiakiToyoda. DoP: Junichi Fujisawa. Main cast: Kyoko Koizumi, Itsuji Itao, AnneSuzuki, Sonim, Michiyo Ohkusu. Release date: Spring 2005.
Contact: Keiko Koide, Pony Canyon, (81) 35521 8107, koidek@ponycanyon.co.jp

LORELEI: THE WITCH OFTHE PACIFIC OCEAN
(Toho, Cine Bazaar) Budget: Y1.2b. Backers:Fuji TV, Toho, Kansai TV, King Record. Int'l sales: Toho. Dist (Jap): Toho.Thriller. Japanese government uses a girl with supernatural powers for a secretmission on a hi-tech submarine, Lorelei in World War II. Exec prod: ChihiroKameyama. Prods: Hirotsugu Usui, Minami Ichikawa, Morio Amagi. Dir: ShinjiHiguchi. Scr: Kazuki Nakajima, Satoshi Suzuki. DoP: Akira Sakou. Main cast:Koji Yakusho, Satoshi Tsumabuki, Toshiro Yanagiba, Yuu Kashii, ShinichiTsutsumi. Release date: March 5, 2005.
Contact: Toho, (81) 33213 6821

RAMPO JIGOKU
(Micott & Basara) Thriller. Fourshort features based on the stories written by Japan痴 biggest mysterywriter of the 20th century, Rampo Edogawa. Exec prod: Sumiji Miyake. Prod: DaiMiyazaki. Dir: Suguru Takeuchi, Akio Jissoji, Hisayasu Sato, Atsuhi Kaneko.Scr: Suguru Takeuchi, Akio Satsukawa, Sirou Yumeno, Atsushi Kaneko. Main cast:Tadanobu Asano. Shooting in Japan from July to September. Release date: Spring2006.
Contact: Micott & Basara, (81) 35773 5811

SHAMO
Backers: Art Port. Int'l sales: ArtPort. Dist (Jap): Art Port. Action. A teenager in a juvenile prison mastersKarate to survive in battles with his inmates. Exec prod: Junichi Matsushita.Prod: Shin Yoneyama. Dir: Izo Hashimoto. Scr: Izo Hashimoto.
Contact: Art Port, (81) 35469 8735, mail@artport.co.jp

SUMMER TIME MACHINEBLUES
(Robot) Budget: Y130m. Backers: Robot,Toshiba Entertainment, Hakuhodo DY Media Partners, Imagica. Int'l sales: HakuhodoDY Media Partners. Dist (Jap): Toshiba Entertainment. Comedy. Five universitystudents in a SciFi club happen to find a time machine which can change thepast events. Exec prods: Shuji Abe. Prods: Chikahiro Ando, Masaki Koide. Dir:Katsuyuki Motohiro. Scr: Makoto Ueda. DoP: Kazunari Kawagoe. Main cast: Eita,Juri Ueno. Release date: Summer 2005.
Contact: Masatsugu Yabe, Hakuhodo DY Media Partmers, (81) 36218 9411, MASATSUGU.YABE@hakuhodody-media.co.jp

UMINEKO
(Toei) Backers :Toei, ToeiVideo, TV Asahi, Cultural Publishers, S.D.P, Asahi Broadcasting, GagaCommunications, Hokkaido Shinbun, Asahi Marion 21, Tokyo ASA Association. Int'lsales: Toei. Dist (Jap): Toei. Love story. Set in 1970s in Northern island ofJapan, a love triangle within a half Japanese and Russian woman and her husbandand his younger brother. Exec prods: Sunao Sakagami. Prods: Toshiya Nomura,Yoshihiro Kojima, Kazuko Misawa. Dir: Yoshimitsu Morita. Scr: Tomomi Tstsui.DoP: Minoru Ishiyama. Main cast: Misaki Ito, Toru Nakamura, Mimura, YoshikoMita, Koichi Sato. Release date: November 13, 2005.
Contact: (81) 33535 7621

YAJI-SAN &KITA-SAN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT (MAYONAKA NO YAJI-SAN KITA-SAN)
(Asmik Ace Entertainment) Backers:Asmik Ace Entertainment, J Storm, Cultural Publishers, TYO Productions,Otonakeikaku. Int'l sales: Asmik Ace Entertainment. Dist (Jap): Asmik AceEntertainment. Comedy. Based on a hit comic book, set in both present and Edoperiod, a road movie about a gay couple who makes a pilgrimage from Tokyo to aholy shrine in mid-Japan. Exec prods: Yasushi Shiina, Julie K Fujishima, MasajiShimamoto, Hiroaki Yoshida, Makiko Nagasaka. Prods: Mitsuru Uda, YoshinoriFujita. Dir: Kankuro Kudo. Scr: Kankuro Kudo. DoP: Toshiyasu Yamanaka. Maincast: Tomoya Nagase, Shichinosuke Nakamura. Release date: Spring 2005.
Contact: Asmik Ace Entertainment, (81) 35413 4354

ONE MISSED CALL 2
(Kadokawa Pictures) Dist (Jap): Toho.Horror. A sequel to the hit horror title about mysterious deaths whose victimsdie after cursed cellular phone calls. Prod: Yasushi Akimoto. Dir: RenpeiTsukamoto. Main cast: Mimura, Yu Soshizawa, Asaka Seto. Release date: February5, 2005.
Contact: Kadokawa Pictures, (81) 35229 2076