All articles by Jason Gray – Page 15
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Japan's Shinobu Yaguchi returns to director's chair
After a three year absence from feature films, director Shinobu Yaguchi is set to direct a new comedy set in the world of air travel entitled Happy Flight (working title). Based on research conducted by Yaguchi last year, Happy Flight's story is set on a flight bound for Honolulu, Hawaii. ...
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Japan's Avex establishes arthouse subsidiary
Avex Group film subisidary, Avex Entertainment, has launched an arthouse label PiX Inc, the company announced yesterday. PiX will handle arthouse and other specialty titles that fall outside of Avex Entertainment's more mainstream contents. Avex Entertainment formed the company with a capital outlay of Y60m ($536,000). Avex Entertainment COO Mio ...
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Eguchi to head cast of Japanese action fantasy Goemon
Yosuke Eguchi has been cast as the lead in the big-budget Japanese action fantasy Goemon. He stars as the legendary 16th century ninja bandit Goemon Ishikawa. The cast also includes Takao Osawa, Ryoko Hirosue and comedian Gori. Goemon is director Kazuaki (Kaz) Kiriya's sophmore feature after a three-year absence since ...
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Sony Pictures Japan earns $140.8m for best year ever
Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan (SPEJ) has recorded its best year ever in the territory, with current total box office earnings of $140.8m (Y15.5bn) the company announced at its year-end press conference. While The Da Vinci Code ($82.26m) was Sony's only Top Ten megahit in 2006, the company has released a ...
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Fuji TV's Bayside Shakedown team reassemble for The Guardian
Fuji TV's head feature film producer Chihiro Kameyama will reunite with the writer behind hit franchise Bayside Shakedown to produce police drama The Guardian (Dare Mo Mamotte Kurenai). Ryoichi Kimizuka is set to write and direct The Guardian (working title), starring Koichi Sato (Suite Dreams) as a detective who vows ...
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Israel's Tehilim takes top prize at Tokyo Filmex
French director Raphaël Nadjari's Tehilim was awarded the Grand Prize at the conclusion of the 8th edition of Tokyo Filmex (Nov 17-25). The award carried a cash prize of Y1m ($9,235). Tehilim examines Judaism through the story of an average Israeli family affected by the mysterious disappearance of their father ...
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Tom Yoda named chairman of Tokyo International Film Festival
Tatsumi (Tom) Yoda has been named chairman of the Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF). The announcement was made at the monthly board of director's meeting of the Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan (Eiren). Yoda will chair the 21st edition for an unspecified term. Yoda holds many powerful public and ...
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Kuroki heads cast of pan-Asian production Subaru
Japanese actress Meisa Kuroki (Crows: Episode 0) is headlining the cast of pan-Asian production Subaru, it was announced at a weekend press conference in Shanghai. Bill Kong (Lust, Caution) is producing the project for Japan 's Avex Group Holdings and its affiliate, Seoul-based SM Entertainment, with Lee Chi-ngai (Magic Kitchen) ...
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Three-way battle in $16.68m Japanese box office weekend
Resident Evil: Extinction, distributed by Sony Pictures Entertainment, triumphed in a threeway battle at the Japanese box office at the weekend.The horror action-fest earned $5.21m, shooting down Toho-distributed nostalgic drama Always: Sunset On Third Street 2, which earned $4.77m. Released on 331 and 330 screens respectively, per screen averages were ...
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Toho to remake Kurosawa's Hidden Fortress
Japanese studio Toho is set to produce a remake of Akira Kurosawa's 1958 samurai film The Hidden Fortress, to be directed by Shinji Higuchi. Special effects expert Higuchi moved into the director's chair two years ago with submarine thriller Lorelei and had a top ten hit last year with Sinking ...
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Crows: Episode 0 flies to top of Japanese box office
Takashi Miike's Crows: Episode 0 grabbed the top spot at the weekend box office in Japan, knocking Fuji TV's Hero down to second place after seven weeks in the number one position. Produced by Fuji rival TBS and released on October 27, Crows grossed $3.49m (Y400m) in its first two ...
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Israel's The Band's Visit takes top prize in Tokyo
In a unanimous jury decision, Eran Kolirin's The Band's Visit (Bikur Ha-Tizmoret) was awarded the Tokyo Sakura Grand Prix at the 20th Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF). The crystal trophy was accompanied by a cash prize of $50,000. The film was the highest-rated competition entry in a local critics poll ...
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Japan International Contents Festival - Tokyo events gather momentum
The Japan International Contents Festival (CoFesta) debuts this year (September 20-October 28) as a sprawling amalgamation of 18 events running alongside the Tokyo International Film Festival (see sidebar, below). Key international events include the Tiffcom market and its attendant Tokyo Project Gathering (TPG).Tiffcom (October 22-24) is entering its fourth year, ...
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Gondry casts Kase, Ito in Tokyo! segment
The cast for Michel Gondry's segment of omnibus film Tokyo ! (working title) has been announced. Letters From Iwo Jima star Ryo Kase will be joined by Ayumi Ito (Tokyo Tower: Mom And Me And Sometimes Dad), Satoshi Tsumabuki (Dororo), Ayako Fujitani (Gamera 3) and Nao Omori (Midnight Eagle). Gondry's ...
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Ladd to head Tokyo's international competition jury
The Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) has announced the members of its international competition jury. Famed Hollywood executive and producer Alan Ladd Jr. will head the jury. Ladd previously ran 20th Century Fox, during which time Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back were produced. Hits Moonstruck and Thelma & ...
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PUSAN: Germany's Splendid snaps up Japanese duo
Germany 's Splendid Film is continuing its splurge on Asian titles at Pusan AFM by acquiring two Japanese titles - TBS' Crows: Episode 0 and Toei's X-Cross. The Crows deal was closed today by TBS International Content Business division's Miyuki Takamatsu and Splendid's Marko Moellers. Splendid acquired all German and ...
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PUSAN: Nikkatsu sellsMegane to Korea's Sponge
Seoul-based distributor Sponge Entertainment has acquired all rights to Japanese studio Nikkatsu's indie hit Megane. The sale was closed during Pusan 's Asian Film Market by Shinako Matsuda of Nikkatsu's film business division and Sponge international business manager Eugene Song. A drama set at a remote island inn, Megane reunites ...
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PUSAN: Japanese producers pitch trio of projects
Three Japanese companies presented projects to potential investors via UniJapan's J-Pitch initiative, as part of the Pusan AFM's Co-production PRO programme. Presenters had ten minutes to explain their company track record, the talent involved, project outline and current status, and what they are looking for at Pusan. Gaga Films producer ...
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PUSAN: Avex, SM Entertainment outline pan-Asian plans
Japan 's Avex Group Holdings and Korea 's SM Entertainment laid out their joint plans for future pan-Asian co-productions at a seminar held at Pusan 's Grand Hotel as part of the Co-production PRO programme. The seminar was chaired by Avex senior executive director Takashi Araki and SM Entertainment CEO ...
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PUSAN: TBS slate headed by two world premieres
Japan's Tokyo Broadcast System (TBS) has unveiled its Pusan slate which is headed by two world premieres screening at the event - Natsuki Imai's Sky Of Love and Miike Takashi's Crows: Episode 0. Sky Of Love will premiere in Pusan's Asian Film Market on October 8 and 9 before it ...