Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s Wife Of A Spy, which is screening as a Gala Presentation at this week’s Busan International Film Festival, has been sold to several further territories following its best director win at Venice.
Japanese studio Nikkatsu has sold the film to European territories including Portugal (Midas Filmes), Norway (Fidalgo Film Distribution) and Ex-Yugoslavia (Cinemania Group). It was pre-sold to Arthouse for French-speaking Europe and also to A Contracorriente for Spain ahead of its screening at San Sebastian International Film Festival.
In Asia, the film has gone to Korea (M&M International), Indian Subcontinent (Impact Films), Southeast Asia (Clover Films), Taiwan (AV Jet), China (Jetsen Huashi Wangju) and Hong Kong/Macau (Golden Scene).
Starring Yu Aoi and Issey Takahashi, the film revolves around a merchant who travels to Manchuria in the early 1940s and witnesses atrocities that set him on a course of action, at first causing his wife to be suspicious of him, although she later tries to help him in his quest. Kurosawa co-wrote the film with Ryusuke Hamaguchi (Asako I & II) and Tadashi Nohara.
Nikkatsu is also launching sales at Busan’s Asian Contents & Film Market (ACFM) on two classic titles directed by Japanese master Sadao Yamanaka – Tange Sazen And The Pot Worth A Million Ryo (1925) and Priest Of Darkness (1936).
A third Yamanaka title, Humanity And Paper Balloons (1937), is being handled for international sales by Toho.
The three films have had a digital 4K restoration in partnership with the Japan Foundation and will premiere at Tokyo International Film Festival in the Japanese Classics section.
They are the only three titles that still exist directed by Yamanaka, who made more than 20 films between 1932 and 1938 but died at the age of 28 in Manchuria while serving in the Japanese Imperial Army. Kurosawa’s Wife Of A Spy features a clip from Priest Of Darkness.
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