All articles by Jason Gray – Page 13
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Narnia takes crown away from Partners in Japan
Disney's The Chronicles Of Narnia: Prince Caspian ascended to the throne at the box office this past weekend, earning $5.34m (Y551.84m) on 782 screens for a per screen average of $6,831.In an atypical release pattern, Caspian opened last Wednesday (May 21) without being tied in to a holiday or designated ...
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Naomi Kawase unveils ambitious plans for new Japanese festival
Film-maker Naomi Kawase has unveiled plans to launch the Nara International Film Festival.Kawase - whose The Mourning Forest won the Cannes 2007 Grand Prix - is chairing non-profit organisation The Nara International Film Festival Planning Committee and is lobbying for funds for a major event through the federal government's $24.2m ...
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Eleven Arts sells Man, Woman & the Wall to US-UK
US-Japanese sales agent Eleven Arts has sold US and UK rights for Masashi Yamamoto's Man, Woman & The Wall (Kikareta Onna) to TLA Releasing. Eleven Arts is handling the title for Tokyo-based producer Transformer. Billed as an erotic suspense thriller, the film stars famed adult film performer Sora Aoi as ...
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Toei rules Japan's Golden Week box office period
Toei Studios was the undisputed champion of this year's 'Golden Week' box office period in Japan, led by the success of big screen TV adaptation Partners: The Movie (Aibo - Gekijoban). The police detective thriller, directed by Seiji Izumi, has earned $20.38m (Y2.1bn) since its May 1 release on 300 ...
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TBSannounces details of sequel toMiike's Crows
Japan's Tokyo Broadcast System (TBS) is preparing a sequel to its hit high school gang film Crows: Episode 0. Famed filmmaker Takashi Miike will again direct and popular star Shun Oguri will reprise his lead role as smart and brutal gang leader Genji Takaya. Oguri is currently in training with ...
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NTV works manga magic with $60m 20th Century Boys trilogy
Japanese trilogy 20th Century Boys is shaping up to be one of the hottest Asian projects in the market, with Nippon Television Network (NTV) closing a slew of sales to Asian territories in the run-up to Cannes. Key among the deals is the acquisition of all Korean rights by exhibitor-distributor ...
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Gaga's Cyborg She finds real-life home with Bogeydom
Canada's Bogeydom Enterprises has picked up North American and European rights to action title Cyborg She, directed by Korea's Kwak Jae-young, from Japan's Gaga Films. Gaga has already sealed a raft of Asian deals on the film which has gone to Intercontinental for Hong Kong, Sahamongkol for Thailand, Serenity Entertainment ...
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Shochiku to launch video-on-demand service
Japanese major studio Shochiku has announced the launch of a video-on-demand (VoD) service which will stream movies from its library of over 2,000 titles. Dubbed 'Shochiku Online', the service will launch on May 21. Approximately 200 titles are scheduled to become available in the first year, with 10 to 20 ...
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Fuji TV's Shaolin Girl sells throughout Asia
Katsuyuki Motohiro's martial arts action comedy Shaolin Girl has sold to eight Asian territories, co-producer Fuji TV announced today. Gaga Communications, which is handling international sales on the film, has closed deals with Bill Kong's Edko Films for Hong Kong and Macau, San-Byte Hong Kong Co for Taiwan, Sahamongkol Film ...
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Japan's Usen pulls out of film production and acquisition
Japanese media and communications giant Usen Inc has announced its withdrawal from feature film production and acquisitions, which is currently handled by its wholly-owned subsidiary Gaga Communications. The announcement was made by Usen CEO Yasuhide Uno at the semi-annual shareholders meeting yesterday (April 16).Gaga Communications will cease acquisition of foreign ...
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Kore-eda's latest to walk to Japanese theatres in June
Acclaimed Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda's latest film Even If You Walk And Walk (Aruitemo Aruitemo) will be released on June 28, distributor Cine Qua Non announced today. The announcement comes ahead of the film's potential competition slot at this year's Cannes Film Festival. Other strong Japanese Cannes contenders include Kiyoshi ...
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Rinko Kikuchi, Ryo Kase to voice Sky Crawlers
Oscar-nominated actress Rinko Kikuchi (Babel) and Letters From Iwo Jima star Ryo Kase will voice the two main characters in Mamoru Oshii's The Sky Crawlers, distributor Warner Brothers Japan announced today. Actress Chiaki Kuriyama (Kill Bill) and Shosuke Tanimura will provide voices for supporting characters.The announcement was made ahead of ...
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Miyazaki's Ponyo On A Cliff set for July 19 release
Japan's Studio Ghibli has announced a release date and other details of director Hayao Miyazaki's latest film Ponyo On A Cliff By The Sea. At a press conference held at the screening facilities of Studio Ghibli's regular distribution partner Toho, Ponyo producer Toshio Suzukisaid the film will open on Saturday, ...
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Kitano unveils new project Achilles And The Tortoise
Award-winning Japanese writer-director-actor Takeshi Kitano has unveiled details of his latest feature film, entitled Achilles And The Tortoise. Details of the production were announced at the Nikkatsu Studios in Chofu City, with the press invited on the soundstages.Kitano, also known for his paintings, found inspiration in past canvas embarrassments for ...
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Japan's Entertainment Farm launches Singapore-based fund
Japanese production company Entertainment Farm has established a Singapore-based film fund to underwrite features in America and Asia, it announced today.Entertainment Farm established Entertainment Farm Pte Ltd in Singapore at the end of last year.Under director Satoru Yano, the hub will manage the fund, which looks toacquire between $30m-$50m from ...
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Fuji TV plans third Bayside Shakedown feature
Japan's Fuji TV is planning a third feature film in its megahit Bayside Shakedown police drama franchise, with Yuji Oda reprising the lead role.The announcement was made yesterday by Fuji TV's Head of the Motion Picture Department and Bayside producer Chihiro Kameyama at the inaugural opening of the Wangan Police ...
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More cancellations for Yasukuni documentary in Japan
Following ScreenDaily.com's March 18 story of controversial documentary Yasukuni's cancellation at Tokyo's Wald 9 multiplex, the remaining cinemas in Tokyo and Osaka set to screen the film have followed suit.Ginza's Cine Pathos, Cinemart in Roppongi, Q-AX Cinema in the Shibuya district, and Cinemart Shinsaibashi in Osaka have all decided to ...
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Yubari makes strong return to Japanese festival scene
The resurrected Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival (YIFFF) ended its first successful run yesterday since the cancellation of the event in 2006 due to financial problems.The festival said 8,868 customers attended 58 films over the five-day event (March 19-23).Director Toki Inoue's 21-minute The Woman Who Is Beating The Earth (Daichi ...
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T-Joy pulls Yasukuni doc from Tokyo theatre
Japan-based Chinese-born director Li Ying's controversial documentary Yasukuni has had its theatrical release cancelled by exhibitor T-Joy. The film was set to begin its theatrical run on April 12 at Shinjuku's ultramodern Wald 9 multiplex through distributor Argo Pictures.The cancellation follows an increasing number of threats toward Li and his ...
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Avex and Bill Kong create $16.75m Irresistible film fund
Japan's Avex Group Holdings has announced the establishment of a 10-year $16.75m film fund in partnership with major film producer Bill Kong.Operating under the name Irresistible Films LP, the fund was jointly established by Avex Group Holdings (39.4%), Hong Kong-based subsidiary Avex Asia Ltd (9.9%) and Silk Screen Partners Ltd ...