All articles by Jason Gray – Page 11
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Preview: Tokyo International Film Festival
Despite its size and status as Japan's only International Federation of Film Producers Associations (Fiapf) accredited event, the Tokyo International Film Festival (Tiff) has sometimes been overlooked outside Japan.But as Tiff enters its 21st edition (October 18-26), a new mission statement together with Asia's growing interconnection is bringing the centrepiece ...
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Japanese actor Ken Ogata dies aged 71
71-year-old Japanese actor Ken Ogata died on October 5, local news reported today. The exact cause of death is unknown, but Ogata had been battling liver cancer. A private funeral was held by close relatives at a temple in Tokyo on Tuesday morning. Born in Tokyo in 1937, Ogata began ...
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Linha De Passe to open ninth Tokyo Filmex
Walter Salles and Daniela Thomas' Linha De Passe will open the ninth edition of Tokyo Filmex (November 22-30). The closing film will be Cannes FIPRESCI prize winner Delta, directed by Hungary's Kornel Mundruczo. Ten competition films will vie for the Grand Prize of Y1m ($9,830), including Waltz With Bashir and ...
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Fuji TV, Production I.G to produce CG animated feature
Japanese broadcast major Fuji TV and animation house Production I.G have announced plans to co-produce a wholly CG animated feature film. With a working title of Hottarake No Shima: Haruka To Maho No Kagami (Hottarake Island: Haruka And The Magic Mirror), the film will be directed by Shinsuke Sato.The fantasy ...
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Japan to launch film commission as part of policy shift
Speaking at Pusan's Asia-Pacific Film Policy Forum (Oct 4-5), Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) outlined its major initiatives for the future role of the territory in what it has dubbed the 'Asia Content Community'. The presentation, by METI director general of Commerce and Information Policy Bureau Masahiro ...
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Japanese sellers premiere new titles at Asian Film Market
Japanese majors and independent production companies are kicking off sales of their latest titles at Pusan's Asian Film Market, which launched today. While many Japanese companies reserve full market screenings for the likes of Cannes and the Santa Monica AFM, they believe that Pusan's AFM is an important place to ...
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Japan's Avex and Docomo establish mobile contents company
Avex Group film subsidiary Avex Entertainment and mobile communications giant NTT Docomo have partnered to establish a company to create mobile contents. Under the name Avex Broadcasting & Communications Inc, the company will incorporate next February and begin operations in March. Avex will contribute 70% and Docomo 30% of start-up ...
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Haruki Kadokawa returns to directing with Laughing Policeman
Famed Japanese film producer Haruki Kadokawa has returned to the director's chair after an 11-year absence. Kadokawa is currently shooting suspense drama Laughing Policeman, based on the first of Jo Sasaki's series of novels released by Kadokawa's publishing arm. The story depicts the internecine struggles of a corrupt police department. ...
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Gaga to handle sales of Shunji Iwai production Halfway
Gaga Communications has acquired world sales rights for high school drama Halfway, produced by famed director-producer Shunji Iwai (All About Lily Chou-Chou). Eriko Kitagawa makes her directing debut on the film and also wrote the screenplay. The story follows the trials and tribulations of a high school couple as their ...
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Lotus and Harbour Light announce two Akira Kurosawa projects
Tokyo 's Lotus and Los Angeles-based Harbor Light Entertainment have announced two projects based on Akira Kurosawa properties, slated for release in 2010.One project will be a modern-day Hollywood remake of Akira Kurosawa's famed 1950 film Rashomon. Under the working title of Rashomon 2010 , the action will be relocated ...
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Japanese director Jun Ichikawa dies at 59
Japanese film director Jun Ichikawa has died at aged 59, local media has reported. According to Ichikawa's office, he passed away suddenly in the early hours of Sept 19. He collapsed during a late night meal after working on the editing of his latest film, Buy A Suit.The news comes ...
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Tokyo film festival announces complete 2008 line-up
The Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) has announced the full lineup for its 21st edition (October 18-26). The 15-films in competition include four world premieres: China-HK co-production Claustrophobia directed by Ivy Ho, big budget Chinese disaster film Super Typhoon; Japanese entries School Days With A Pig; and Echo Of Silence ...
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Wall-E to close Tokyo film festival
Pixar's Wall-E will be the closing film of this year's Tokyo International Film Festival (Oct 18-26). Wall-E opens theatrically in Japan on December 20th as the last major territory for the $290m international hit. As previously reported, John Woo's Red Cliff will be TIFF's opening film.TIFF has also announced the ...
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Departures selected as Japan's Oscar entry
Yojiro Takita's Departures (Okuribito) has been selected as Japan's official entry for the Academy Awards' foreign-language film category, the Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan (Eiren) announced on Friday. The final selection for films nominated in the category will be announced by AMPAS in January.Departures is a dramedy starring Masahiro ...
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Hancock, 20th Century Boys knock Ponyo from perch
Sony Pictures Entertainment's Hancock and local broadcaster NTV's 20th Century Boys have knocked Studio Ghibli's Ponyo On The Cliff By The Sea down to third place after six weeks in the number one spot at the Japanese box office. Hancock earned $7.67m (Y830m) on 328 screens, including grosses from previews ...
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Tokyo Project Gathering unveils line-up of 34 projects
The organisers of the fourth Tokyo Project Gathering (TPG) have unveiled the 34 projects that will take part in this year's edition (Oct 21-24). Organised by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), the Japan Institute of Development and Promotion for Picture, and UniJapan, the financing and co-production market ...
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Japan's TBS to stream first-run films through VoD service
Major Japanese broadcaster Tokyo Broadcast System (TBS) will stream newly released feature films through its existing VoD service, the network announced yesterday. The service will launch on September 1 under the TBS On Demand banner. Established in November 2005, TBS' VoD service was one of the first in the territory. ...
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Studio Ghibli's Ponyo reaches Y10bn milestone
Japanese distributor Toho has announced that Studio Ghibli's Ponyo On The Cliff By The Sea has cracked the Y10bn ($91.02m) milestone within a month (31 days)of its release on July 19. As of August 18, Ponyo has grossed Y10.136b ($92.26m) on 8.44 million admissions.The last time the Y10bn milestone was ...
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Fox Japan ramps up local production with Gunjo
20th Century Fox Japan has unveiled details of its latest foray into local feature film production with drama Gunjo (Ultramarine), starring Masami Nagasawa.Based on a popular serialised novel by Ayako Miyagi, the story depicts the spiritual recovery of a woman who returns to her father's home in Okinawa after her ...
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Animation draws Toho towards record-setting year
Japan's Toho Studios is on track to reach its stated goal of Y60bn ($548.5m) in box office earnings this year, which would make it the most the successful year in the company's history. Toho announced that in the first seven months of 2008 its releases earned $333.9m (Y36.52bn), a 26% ...