Japan’s Free Stone Productions has secured a brace of deals on Yuya Ishii’s The Moon, following its world premiere in competition at Busan International Film Festival this week.
The film has been acquired for distribution in Taiwan (SkyDigi) and Korea (Media Castle) during the Asian Contents & Film Market (ACFM), which runs parallel to the festival. It is set to be released in Japan by Star Sands on October 13.
The story follows a writer named Yoko who takes a job at a nursing home, where she witnesses elderly and disabled residents whose dignity is threatened and meets a co-worker who has increasingly eccentric thoughts. It is based on true events of a tragedy at a nursing home in Japan, in which 19 people died.
The role of Yoko is played by Rie Miyazawa, a three-time best actress winner at the Japanese Academy Awards for Her Love Boils Bathwater, Pale Moon and The Twilight Samurai. The cast also includes Hayato Isomura, Fumi Nikaido and Joe Odagiri.
Director Ishii debuted with Sawako Decides, which played the Berlinale, and is perhaps best known for The Great Passage, which won best film at the Japan Academy Awards in 2014 and was the country’s submission for the Oscar. Further credits include The Tokyo Night Sky Is Always The Densest Share Of Blue and The Asian Angle.
The Moon plays in the Jiseok competitive strand of BIFF, open to established Asian directors with at least three features to their names. Both Ishii and Miyazawa are both in attendance at the festival and took part in a Q&A following a screening of the film.
Upcoming titles on Free Stone’s slate include Ryo Ushimaru’s black comedy Qualia, Yoshimasa Ishibashi’s fantasy drama Six Singing Women, Yukiko Mishima’s Voice and Fuka Miyajima’s teen drama Where Love Goes.
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