Imagica Group, one of Japan’s leading production, post-production and VFX companies, has long supported the country’s film and video industry over its 90-year history.
In recent years, Japan’s directors, screenwriters and producers have faced increasing challenges when attempting to bring their original projects to the world stage. This led to the launch of the Imagica Group Film Project, a five-year initiative aimed at discovering and fostering new talent, and supporting original film productions aimed at international film festivals.
The first edition was unveiled in 2025, with filmmaker Hirokazu Koreeda serving as a jury member, and selected Tomoka Terada’s Maria as the first project to secure financing and receive support towards production. The company will reveal the second project in Cannes at 10am on Monday (May 18) at the Japan Pavilion.
“Working with large numbers of creators and their projects, we have always placed importance upon communicating the power of expression and creation to the next generation,” says Imagica Group CEO Shunjiro Nagase.
“But people within our group production teams have been saying there are only limited opportunities for directors, screenwriters and producers working in the Japanese film industry to undertake original projects and bring them to world markets. Listening to these voices, we have initiated this project to spotlight new talents and projects.”
Nagase outlines how completing and distributing an original feature worldwide faces hurdles such as financing and access to international markets. “There are more than a few barriers that mere talent and enthusiasm will not overcome,” he says.
It means the Imagica Group Film Project has resonated with many in the Japanese film industry who face these challenges. “We have heard from creators who are encouraged at the opportunity to turn a project of their own into an actual film, while others in the business say an initiative like this invigorates the entire industry,” says Nagase.
Having internationally renowned filmmaker Koreeda support the project and serve as a jury member for the first edition was extremely important, he says.
“We are looking at more than simply a completed film. The project aims to result in features that will win acclaim at Cannes and other international film festivals,” says Nagase. “To accomplish this, it’s vital we have the opinions of people with hands-on experience and a profound understanding of international film festivals.”
Next generation
This year’s edition is backed by acclaimed filmmaker Kei Ishikawa, whose film A Man won best director and best film from the Japanese Academy in 2023, and was at Cannes last year with A Pale View Of Hills. He is also a strong supporter of the project and, from the perspective of a filmmaker, of fostering the next generation of creators.
Ishikawa will attend the unveiling of the second project alongside fellow jury members Shozo Ichiyama, programming director of the Tokyo International Film Festival, and Yuka Sakano, executive director of the Kawakita Memorial Film Institute, both of whom bring extensive knowledge and experience of international film festivals from the first edition of the project. Completion of the selected film is set for 2027.
“This second round featured a much greater diversity of genres and artistic styles, with social themes being joined by works of science fiction and dealing with contemporary subjects such as AI,” says Nagase of this year’s submissions.
“We had comments from our judges on how difficult it was to narrow down all these to just one project. There were many in which creators gave full rein to their individuality and powers of expression, and there were many we felt had the potential to take the stage at an international film festival.”
He adds: “It is never easy for creators who have made films primarily for the Japanese market to take on the challenge of making them for international film festivals or audiences.
“I believe this is not a problem of individual creators, but rather a challenge that requires everyone, including producers and production systems, to adopt a different perspective and way of proceeding,” continues Nagase. “This is exactly why we do not want to simply provide financing, but to co-operate with creators to foster their projects and work alongside them from completion of the film to expansion into international markets.
“We hope, with this initiative, to create a continuous flow of new talent and original material from Japan out into the wider world. Nothing would make me happier than if this project could become a catalyst for making that happen.”
Contact: Imagica Group
Find out more: imagicagroup.co.jp/en
