Veteran Japanese commercialsdirector and cinematographer Ted Fukuda will make his American featurefilmmaking debut with Dog Lovers' Symphony, based on his own original screenplay.

The $2.5m contemporary lovestory explores altruism, redemption and the relationship between wealth andhappiness and centres on a troubled young man who finds self-worth in trainingcanines into service dogs.

The picture will beginshooting in mid-December in Southern California, with Fukuda serving as bothdirector and cinematographer.

The project is funded byprivate Japanese investors. Osami Takamatsu and Tomiko Fukuda serve asproducers. Maxwell Caulfield, Alaina Kalanj, Jesse Bernstein, Nikki Bohannonand Sean Foley star.

Fukuda made his feature filmdebut with Hittobe (Go For It), about a retired man who defies society's dismissalof his demographic and learns to regain his enduring fearless spirit.

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