Japan’s sales companies head to Hong Kong showcasing a strong selection of projects ready to woo international buyers.
And Yet, You Are So Sweet
Dir Takehiko Shinjo
This romantic drama, from the director of Kiss Me At The Stroke Of Midnight and Daytime Shooting Star, follows a high-school girl who has just been rejected after confessing her love to someone for the first time. When the school heartthrob sees this, he befriends her on the condition they do not fall in love — but can they resist temptation? Mei Hata from 99.9 Criminal Lawyer The Movie and Kyohei Takahashi from boyband Naniwa Danshi take the central roles. The film received a release in Japan on March 3.
Contact Yuhka Matoi, Shochiku
Best Regards To All
Dir Yuta Shimotsu
Takashi Shimizu, the horror icon behind the widely popular franchise Ju-On: The Grudge, is executive producer on this upcoming film from debut feature director Shimotsu. The story centres on a young nursing school student who visits her grandparents in the countryside. But there is something unusual in their house and she soon discovers a horrifying truth. The cast is led by Kotone Furukawa, whose credits include Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Berlinale 2021 award winner Wheel Of Fortune And Fantasy. Now in post-production, a release is being lined up later this year.
Contact Haruka Sakumi, Kadokawa
Dead Dead Demons Dededede Destruction
Dir Not yet announced
This sci-fi animation is based on the award-winning manga series of the same name (also known as DDDDD) by writer and artist Inio Asano. It follows two high-school girls going about their everyday lives after a spaceship descends on Japan. Asano also wrote Solanin, which was adapted as a feature, and bestselling title Goodnight Punpun. Production +h, whose Extra-Terrestrial Boys & Girls was picked up by Netflix, is producing.
Contact Haruko Watanabe, Gaga Corp (Asia except mainland China); TV Tokyo (rest of the world)
Eternal New Mornings
Dir Toru Yamamoto
This drama is set in Miyagi prefecture, 10 years after the Great East Japan Earthquake, and explores stories about survivors who lost loved ones. Characters include a former musician who lost her boyfriend, a professional boxer who continues fighting as age catches up with him, a woman with terminal cancer, young stage actors and a middle-school girl who lost family members and now has suicidal thoughts. The cast includes Nanami Sakuraba (The Last Ronin), Tetta Sugimoto (Still The Water), Satomi Tezuka, Yukiya Kitamura and Kumiko Aso. Director Yamamoto previously worked with master filmmaker Nobuhiko Obayashi and his credits include Cats Don’t Come When You Call, Glory Of The Expedition and Until I Meet September’s Love. The film is completed and due for release in Japan this year.
Contact Hakuhodo DY Music & Pictures
From The End Of The World
Dir Kazuaki Kiriya
Known for post-apocalyptic epics Casshern and Goemon as well as English-language action film Last Knights, director Kiriya returns with this fantasy drama centred on a seemingly normal high-school girl. After waking from a dream about a 10-year-old girl living in 15th century Japan, she is unexpectedly taken away by a government agency and discovers the fate of humankind is at stake. The cast is led by Aoi Ito (Shinzo Katayama’s Missing), Shunji Iwai and Mari Natsuki.
Contact Free Stone Productions
Home Sweet Home
Dir Takumi Saitoh
Actor and director Saitoh, whose acting credits include Shin Ultraman, Downfall and Ramen Shop, returns to filmmaking with this suspense horror. It follows a sports instructor who buys a newly built house for his family, only to discover sinister forces are at work within its walls. The cast is led by Masataka Kubota, who starred in Takashi Miike’s First Love, which played in Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes in 2019. As a director, Saitoh has made features including Blank 13, which won the Asian New Talent Award for best director at Shanghai International Film Festival in 2017.
Contact Nikkatsu
Plastic
Dir Daisuke Miyazaki
This musical road movie follows two teenagers (Kyoko Koizumi and Machiko Ono) as they search for Exne Kedy, who fronts glam-rock band Exne Kedy and the Poltergeists. The film is based on Kensuke Ide’s concept album Strolling Planet ’74, released in 2021. Director Miyazaki is known for titles including End Of The Night, Yamato (California) and Videophobia. Plastic is produced by Nagoya University of Arts and Sciences and Boid Inc. A release in Japan is being planned for this year.
Contact Pearl Chan, Good Move Media
Scroll
Dir Yasuhiko Shimizu
Adapted from the novel Scroll by Hashizume Shunki, this marks the fourth feature of director Shimizu, whose previous titles include Manriki, Sono Hi. Curry Rice Ga Dekiru Made and Cube, a remake of the 1997 mystery horror. His latest focuses on young people struggling with different challenges and how their lives intertwine. The cast includes Mayu Matsuoka, who starred in Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Cannes Palme d’Or winner Shoplifters, and Kotone Furukawa of Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Berlinale award winner Wheel Of Fortune And Fantasy. Further cast include Takumi Kitamura (Tokyo Revengers) and Taishi Nakagawa (Funny Bunny).
Contact Hakuhodo DY Music & Pictures
We’re Broke, My Lord!
Dir Tetsu Maeda
Based on Jiro Asada’s 2019 novel Daimyo Tousan, this samurai comedy drama follows a peaceful young man and his salmon-dealing father. But the son’s life is turned upside-down when he discovers he is the descendant of a shogun and heir to what appears to be a fortune. However, he is faced with a costly dilemma on discovering the title comes with a debt of ¥10bn. Ryunosuke Kamiki, who voiced one of the lead characters in animation hit Your Name, takes the central role in We’re Broke, My Lord!, which is due for release on June 23. Director Maeda’s credits include And So The Baton Is Passed and What Happened To Our Nest Egg!?.
Contact Yuhka Matoi, Shochiku
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