JAPAN - July 7

PRE-PRODUCTION

GODZILLA FINAL WARS
(Toho Studio) Backers: Toho. Dist (Jap): Toho. The final installment of thefamous Japanese monster Godzilla series. Set in the near future, this time themutant monsters simultaneously attack New York, Paris, Tokyo and Shanghai.Prod: Shogo Tomiyama. Dir: Ryuhei Kitamura. DoP: Takumi Furuya. Main cast:Masahiro Matsuoka, Rei Kikukawa. Shooting in Japan, Shanghai, New York fromJune to August 2004. Release date: December 11, 2004.
Contact: Toho, (81) 33591 3511

RAMPO JIGOKU
(Micott & Basara) Thriller. Four short features based on the storieswritten by Japan's biggest mystery writer of the 20th century, Rampo Edogawa.Exec prod: Sumiji Miyake. Prod: Dai Miyazaki. Dir: Suguru Takeuchi, AkioJissoji, Hisayasu Sato, Atsuhi Kaneko. Scr: Suguru Takeuchi, Akio Satsukawa,Sirou Yumeno, Atsushi Kaneko. Main cast: Tadanobu Asano. Shooting in Japan fromJuly to September. Release date: Spring 2006.
Contact: Micott & Basara, (81) 35773 5811

SASORI
Backers: Art Port, BS-i. Int'l sales: Art Port. Dist (Jap): Art Port. Action.The remake of hit erotic action series, Sasori (Scorpion) in 1970s. A femaleprisoner fights with her inmates. Exec prod: Junichi Matsushita Prod: ShinYoneyama. Dir: Kenji Sonoda. Scr: Yoshihiro Izumi. Main cast: Takami Mizuhashi,Masato Ibu. Shooting starts in Japan in Autumn.
Contact: Art Port, (81) 35469 8735

SHAMO
Backers: Art Port. Int'l sales: Art Port. Dist (Jap): Art Port. Action. Ateenager in a juvenile prison masters Karate to survive in battles with hisinmates. Exec prod: Junichi Matsushita. Prod: Shin Yoneyama. Dir: IzoHashimoto. Scr: Izo Hashimoto. Shooting starts in Japan in August.
Contact: Art Port, (81) 35469 8735, mail@artport.co.jp

SPIN KIDS
Budget: $0.8m. Backers: Art Port. Int'l sales: Art Port. Dist (Jap): Art Port.Heart-warming drama about the friendship between two childhood friends. Execprod: Junichi Matsushita. Prod: Shin Yoneyama. Shooting starts in Japan inautumn 2004.
Contact: Art Port, (81) 35469 8735, mail@artport.co.jp

IN PRODUCTION

HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE
(Studio Ghibli) Backers: Tokuma Shoten Publishing, Nihon TV. Int'l sales:Studio Ghibli. Dist (Jap): Toho. Animation. Based on the British children'sbook written by Diana Wynne Jones. An 18-year-old girl who has been turned intoa 90-year-old by a wizard, Howl. Prod: Toshio Suzuki. Dir/scr: Hayao Miyazaki.Release date: Autumn 2004
Contact: Studio Ghibli, (81) 42250 2511

KITA NO ZERONEN
(Toei) Budget: Y1.5bn Backers: Kita No Zeronen production committee. Int'lsales: Toei. Dist (Jap): Toei. Dramatic tale of a woman who settles down in abarren land on the northern island of Japan in the late 19th century. Dir: IsaoYukisada. Scr: Machiko Nasu. DoP: Nobuyasu Kita. Main cast: Sayuri Yoshinaga,Ken Watanabe, Etsushi Toyokawa, Satomi Ishihara, Yuriko Ishida. Shooting inJapan until October 2004. Release date: January 2005.
Contact: Toei, (81) 33535 7621

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 samurai warrior struggles to make his life in the battleswithin rural powers. Dir: Mitsuo Kurotsuchi. DoP: Junichi Tozawa. Main cast:Somegoro Ichikawa, Yoshino Kimura, Ryo Fukawa, Koji Imada, Mieko Harada.Shooting in Japan until late July.
Contact: Toho, (81) 33591 3511

YOGEN (PREMONITION)
(Oz) Backers: TBS, Entertainment Farm, Oz, Geneon Entertainment. Int'l sales:Lions Gate Films. Dist (Jap): Toho. Horror. A story about a man who tries tofind out about a mysterious newspaper thatforeshadows inevitable tragic future. Exec prod: Kazuya Hamana, YasushiKotani. Prod: Taka Ichise. Dir: NorioTsuruta. Scr: NoboruTakagi. Shooting in Japan from July12 until August 13. Release date: October 2, 2004.
Contact: Sergei Yershov, Lions Gate Films, (1) 310 255 3908

POST-PRODUCTION

ASHURAJO NO HITOMI
(Shochiku) Budget: $8m. Int'l sales: Shochiku. Dist (Jap): Shochiku. Samuraiaction drama. A samurai battles with monsters that haunt ancient capital Edo. Prod:Hideshi Miyajima. Dir: Yojiro Takita. Scr: Haru Kawaguchi. DoP: KatsumiYanagishima. Main cast: Somegoro Ichikawa, Rie Miyazawa, Atsuro Watanabe,Kanako Higuchi. Release date: Spring 2005.
Contact: Kiwamu Sato, Shochiku, (81) 35550 1623

AZUMI REVOLUTION (VOL 2)
(Toho, Nippon Herald, TBS, Dentsu, Shogakukan, Toshiba Entertainment, AmuseSoft Entertainment, Imagica, Sedic International, Tristone Entertainment) Backers:Toho, Nippon Herald, TBS, Dentsu, Shogakukan, Toshiba Entertainment, Amuse SoftEntertainment, Imagica, Sedic International, Tristone Entertainment. Int'lsales: Tristone Entertainment. Dist (Jap): Toho. Sequel to hit samurai film Azumi. Female warrior Azumi fights witha Shogun for the right to rule in 17th-century Japan. Prod: Mataichiro Yamamoto. Dir: Shusuke Kaneko. Main cast: AyaUeto, Yuma Ishigaki, Chiaki Kuriyama, Reiko Takashima, Shun Oguri. Releasedate: Spring 2005.
Contact: Shintaro Tsuchikawa, Tristone Entertainment, (81) 35433 2121,shintaro@zar.att.ne.jp

CHI TO HONE
(Be Wild, Artist Film, Asahi Hoso, Eisei Gekijyo) Backers: Be Wild, ArtistFilm, Asahi Hoso, Eisei Gekijyo. Int'l sales: Office Kitano (Asia), CelluloidDreams (the rest of the world). Dist (Jap): Shochiku, Xanadeux. Drama. Dramaticlife tale about a North Korean man who emigrates to Japan in 1924. Dir: YoichiSai. Scr: Chong Wishing. Main cast: Beat Takeshi, Kyoka Suzuki, Jo Odagiri.Release date: November 2004.
Contact: Office Kitano, (81) 33588 8121

HIBI (Working Title)
(There's Enterprise) Budget: Y120m. Backers: There's Enterprise, BAP, CulturalPublishers, Humax Communications, Blow Up, Alex, Shigaken Eizo Center. Int'lsales: There's Enterprise. Dist (Jap): There's Enterprise. Drama. Non fictiontale of a woman pottery artist who is also an activist to support leukaemiapatients. Exec prod: Koichi Kusakabe. Prods: Keiko Kusakabe, Takeshi Koide.Dir: Banmei Takahashi. Scr: Banmei Takahashi. DoP: Naoki Kayano. Main cast: YukoTanaka, Shunsuke Kubozuka, Asuka Kurosawa, Ittoku Kishibe, Eri Ishida. Releasedate: Spring 2005.
Contact: There's Enterprise, (81) 33542 1951

KAKUSHIKEN ONI NO TSUME
(Shochiku, Nihon TV, Sumitomo Corporations, Hakuhodo DY Media Partners, NihonShuppan Hanbai, Eisei Gekijyo) Backers: Shochiku, Nihon TV, SumitomoCorporations, Hakuhodo DY Media Partners, Nihon Shuppan Hanbai, Eisei Gekijyo.Int'l sales: Shochiku. Dist (Jap): Shochiku. Period drama. A dramatic tale of ayoung samurai who masters an ancient sword fighting technique. Dir:Yoji Yamada.Scr: Yoji Yamada. Main cast: Masatoshi Nagase, Takako Matsu, Hidetaka Yoshioka.Release date: Autumn 2004.
Contact: Kiwamu Sato, Shochiku, (81) 35550 1623

KANSEN (INFECTION)
(Oz) Backers: TBS, EntertainmentFarm, Aozora Investment, Oz, Geneon Entertainment, Toho, Nikkatsu. Int'l sales:Lions Gate Films. Dist (Jap): Toho. Horror. A story about a patient withunknown disease admitted to a run-down old hospital. Exec prods: Kazuya Hamana,Yasushi Kotani. Prod: Taka Ichise. Dir: Masayuki Ochiai. Scr: Masayuki Ochiai.Release date: October 2, 2004.
Contact: Sergei Yershov, Lions Gate Films, (1) 310 255 3908

LORELEI
(Fuji TV, Toho) Backers: Fuji TV, Toho. Dist (Jap): Toho. Thriller. Japanesegovernment uses a girl with supernatural powers for a secret mission on ahi-tech submarine, Lorelei in World War II. Prods: Hideshi Miyajima, NozomuEnoki, Nobuyuki Tohya. Dir: Shinji Higuchi. Scr: Tomo Suzuki. DoP: Main cast:Koji Yakusho, Satoshi Tsumabuki, You Kashii. Release date: Spring 2005.
Contact: Toho, (81) 33591 3511

WARAI NO DAIGAKU
(Toho, Fuji TV, Parco) Backers: Toho, Fuji TV, Parco. Dist (Jap):Toho.Heartwarming comedy. Friendship between a playwright and the government censorin Tokyo in 1940. Prods: Yumiko Shigeoka, Minami Ichikawa, Hideki Inada. Dir:Mamoru Hoshi. Scr: Koki Mitani. DoP: Hiroshi Takase. Main cast: Koji Yakusho,Goro Inagaki. Release date: October 2004.
Contact: Toho, (81) 33591 3511

YAJI-SAN & KITA-SANIN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT (MAYONAKA NO YAJI-SAN KITA-SAN)
(Asmik Ace Entertainment) Backers: Asmik Ace Entertainment, J Storm, CulturalPublishers, TYO Productions, Otonakeikaku. Int'l sales: Asmik AceEntertainment. Dist (Jap): Asmik Ace Entertainment. Comedy. Based on a hitcomic book, set in both present and Edo period, a road movie about a gay couplewho makes a pilgrimage from Tokyo to a holy shrine in mid-Japan. Exec prods:Yasushi Shiina, Julie K Fujishima, Masaji Shimamoto, Hiroaki Yoshida, MakikoNagasaka. Prods: Mitsuru Uda, Yoshinori Fujita. Dir: Kankuro Kudo. Scr: KankuroKudo. DoP: Toshiyasu Yamanaka. Main cast: Tomoya Nagase, Shichinosuke Nakamura.Release date: Spring 2005.
Contact: Asmik Ace Entertainment, (81) 35413 4354

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