Japanese projects have been placed centre stage at this year’s Network of Asian Fantastic Films (NAFF), which runs alongside the Bucheon International Film Festival (Bifan) in South Korea.
The 16th NAFF, taking place from June 30 to July 3, has dedicated its Project Spotlight to five titles from the country, which include talent such as #Manhole director Kazuyoshi Kumakiri and Hiroshi Takahashi, the co-writer of iconic horror Ring.
Directors and producers will get the chance to pitch their films to industry in one-to-one sessions to explore funding, distribution and potentially secure cash and in-kind awards. This year’s Project Spotlight is presented in collaboration with Japan’s Visual Industry Promotion Organization (VIPO).
“There are many fantastic films coming out of Japan, and many seasoned directors who couldn’t get much attention during the pandemic,” says NAFF managing director Thomas Nam. “We thought the best way to get back to normal was by featuring a prolific, fantastic film-generating country such as Japan.”
“There were about 40 entries, which we pared down to five with a careful balance of young and experienced directors to showcase the variety of Japanese projects,” says VIPO senior general manager Mika Morishita. “The producers, too, range from aggressive newcomers to seasoned veterans, so we hope industry members interested in co-producing or collaborating with Japan keep an eye out for them.”
The following five projects make up this year’s Project Spotlight:
The Demon
Dir. Hirobumi Watanabe
Pro. Yuji Watanabe
Directed and produced by the sibling team behind indie darlings Poolside Man and I’m Really Good, The Demon is described as a black comedy horror film about a strange legend that haunts a Japanese village. Produced by the brother’s Foolish Piggies Films, the duo are looking to secure a festival premiere and post-production support.
“In [The Demon], I wanted to explore what exactly is the Oni (demon) that appears in countless legends,” said director Watanabe. “Are they gods, devils, the final form of humans, or something else? Where have they gone in modern society? If they are still alive, what happens when humans come in contact with them? These are the questions I asked as I wrote the script.”
Dulia
Dir. Keisuke Sakuma
Pro. Kentaro Hayashi
Dulia takes place on an island in Japan where a young man from Tokyo encounters a “hand-clapping culture” that suddenly begins among the islanders. The film, produced by Kentaro Hayashi of Nothing New, has secured nearly half its $400,000 budget, and is looking for further financing, pre-sales, co-production, distribution and a festival premiere.
“Despite a relatively high budget, it’s already secured 40%, so I’m confident it will be made,” says Nam. “The director is young, but his short films have been winning awards at festivals, and we always try to promote young filmmakers in making the transition from shorts to features.”
The Night Has A Thousand Eyes
Dir. Hiroshi Takahashi
Pro. Tomomi Furuyama
This crime thriller touches on cults, assassinations and fake news, all hot-button issues in Japan following the killing of former prime minister Shinzo Abe last year. The filmmakers are looking to secure financing, a festival premiere and post-production support during their time at NAFF.
Director Hiroshi Takahashi, known for writing horror hits like Ring and Serpent’s Path, said his touchstone for the film is Fritz Lang, and that the story depicts a modern Japan in which “the boundary between truth and fiction is ambiguous”.
“We’re a huge fan of Takahashi’s work here at Bifan, and we think the film has a great chance of being made,” says Nam. “Hopefully Takahashi can be a kind of ‘guiding elder’ for our group of filmmakers.”
The Shadows In Tokyo
Dir. Kazuyoshi Kumakiri
Pro. Hiroko Matsuda
This meta horror story follows a woman who works on horror films as a “ghost coordinator,” purifying sets before production begins. Director Kazuyoshi Kumakiri and producer Hiroko Matsuda, a longtime associate of horror legend Kiyoshi Kurosawa, are looking to secure co-production and avail themselves of networking opportunities at NAFF. Produced by Tokyo-based Office Shirous, the film has a projected budget of $1.8m.
“Kumakiri directed both #Manhole, which is playing at this year’s Bifan, and Yoko, which won multiple awards at the Shanghai International Film Festival,” says Nam. “He’s a prolific filmmaker, and this is an intriguing project with global appeal.”
A Woman In Flames
Dir. Natsuki Nakagawa
Pro. Shinji Ogawa
This crime drama is about a woman who commits murder to protect a gay police officer from a violent and corrupt police inspector who is also his lover. Its filmmakers are looking for financing, co-production, pre-sales, a festival premiere and networking. Produced by Bridgehead, it has a projected budget of $750,000
Director Natsuki Nakagawa, who studied under Kiyoshi Kurosawa at the Tokyo University of the Arts, is a NAFF alum, having written the screenplay for Koji Shiraishi’s Omionnna, part of the 2022 NAFF project market. Veteran producer Shinji Ogawa is known for films such as Norwegian Wood and River’s Edge.
Nakagawa said of the project: “Through empowering women still vulnerable in society, I aim to portray a woman who would not succumb to the strong.”
“Whenever our former participants apply, we give them a ‘plus alpha’ in order to foster the Bifan family,” says Nam. “Having a prolific producer like Shinji Ogawa plus a female horror filmmaker is quite interesting.”
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