Keep track of all the submissions for best international feature at the 2023 Academy Awards.
Entries for the 2023 Oscar for best international feature are underway, and Screen is profiling each one on this page.
Scroll down for profiles of each Oscar entry
An international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture produced outside the US with a predominantly (more than 50) non-English dialogue track and can include animated and documentary features.
Submitted films must have been released theatrically in their respective countries between January 1, 2022 and November 30, 2022. The deadline for submissions to the Academy is October 3, 2022.
A shortlist of 15 finalists is...
Entries for the 2023 Oscar for best international feature are underway, and Screen is profiling each one on this page.
Scroll down for profiles of each Oscar entry
An international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture produced outside the US with a predominantly (more than 50) non-English dialogue track and can include animated and documentary features.
Submitted films must have been released theatrically in their respective countries between January 1, 2022 and November 30, 2022. The deadline for submissions to the Academy is October 3, 2022.
A shortlist of 15 finalists is...
- 9/5/2022
- by Screen staff
- ScreenDaily
Keep track of all the submissions for best international feature at the 2023 Academy Awards.
Entries for the 2023 Oscar for best international feature are underway, and Screen is profiling each one on this page.
Scroll down for profiles of each Oscar entry
An international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture produced outside the US with a predominantly (more than 50) non-English dialogue track and can include animated and documentary features.
Submitted films must have been released theatrically in their respective countries between January 1, 2022 and November 30, 2022. The deadline for submissions to the Academy is October 3, 2022.
A shortlist of 15 finalists is...
Entries for the 2023 Oscar for best international feature are underway, and Screen is profiling each one on this page.
Scroll down for profiles of each Oscar entry
An international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture produced outside the US with a predominantly (more than 50) non-English dialogue track and can include animated and documentary features.
Submitted films must have been released theatrically in their respective countries between January 1, 2022 and November 30, 2022. The deadline for submissions to the Academy is October 3, 2022.
A shortlist of 15 finalists is...
- 9/2/2022
- by Screen staff
- ScreenDaily
The 20th anniversary edition of the New York Asian Film Festival (Nyaff) closed out an epic 17-day run on Sunday night, after welcoming nearly 100 acclaimed filmmakers, international stars and other notable guests from across Asia and the US, screening over 60 films in-theater at Film at Lincoln Center (Flc) and Asia Society from July 15 – 31, hosting a range of masterclasses and compelling talk sessions, and smashing festival attendance records.
The 20th anniversary lineup included six world premieres, eight international premieres, 20 North American premieres, four US premieres, and 15 East Coast/New York premieres, showcasing the most exciting new action, comedy, drama, thriller, romance, horror, and art-house films from Hong Kong, Japan, China, South Korea, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan, Thailand, Mongolia, Singapore, and the United States.
Prior to the screening of the Nyaff Closing Film, time-travel sci-fi epic Alienoid, from blockbuster Korean director Choi Dong-hoon, the festival announced two Audience Award winners and...
The 20th anniversary lineup included six world premieres, eight international premieres, 20 North American premieres, four US premieres, and 15 East Coast/New York premieres, showcasing the most exciting new action, comedy, drama, thriller, romance, horror, and art-house films from Hong Kong, Japan, China, South Korea, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan, Thailand, Mongolia, Singapore, and the United States.
Prior to the screening of the Nyaff Closing Film, time-travel sci-fi epic Alienoid, from blockbuster Korean director Choi Dong-hoon, the festival announced two Audience Award winners and...
- 8/6/2022
- by Suzie Cho
- AsianMoviePulse
“To the Ends of the Earth,” directed by Japan’s Kiyoshi Kurosawa has added a handful of international distribution deals. The Uzbekistan-set drama had festival premieres in recent weeks in Locarno and Toronto.
Rights were licensed by sales agent Free Stone Productions to mainland China’s Hugoeast, and by Av Jet for Taiwan. For Brazil, rights were acquired by Zeta Film. Trigon Films took the rights for Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Liechtenstein.
The license deals are in addition to the sale of French rights to Eurozoom that was announced in May. Eurozoom, which previously handled other Kurosawa titles including “Before We Vanish,” and “Creepy,” is set to release the film on Oct. 23.
Starring Atsuko Maeda, Ryo Kase, and Shota Sometani, the film is a rare example of a Japanese-Uzbekistan co-production. Production is by Eiko Mizuno-Gray and Jason Gray of Tokyo-based Loaded Films and Toshikazu Nishigaya of Tokyo Theatres. Uzbekistan’s...
Rights were licensed by sales agent Free Stone Productions to mainland China’s Hugoeast, and by Av Jet for Taiwan. For Brazil, rights were acquired by Zeta Film. Trigon Films took the rights for Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Liechtenstein.
The license deals are in addition to the sale of French rights to Eurozoom that was announced in May. Eurozoom, which previously handled other Kurosawa titles including “Before We Vanish,” and “Creepy,” is set to release the film on Oct. 23.
Starring Atsuko Maeda, Ryo Kase, and Shota Sometani, the film is a rare example of a Japanese-Uzbekistan co-production. Production is by Eiko Mizuno-Gray and Jason Gray of Tokyo-based Loaded Films and Toshikazu Nishigaya of Tokyo Theatres. Uzbekistan’s...
- 9/12/2019
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
French distributor Eurozoom has acquired local rights for “To The Ends Of The Earth,” the new film by Japanese directing icon Kiyoshi Kurosawa. Following a deal struck on the eve of the Cannes Film Festival, international sales duties were picked up by Japanese indie sales firm Free Stone Productions.
Starring Atsuko Maeda, Ryo Kase, and Shota Sometani, the film is a rare example of a Japanese-Uzbekistan co-production. Production is by Eiko Mizuno-Gray and Jason Gray of Tokyo-based Loaded Films and Toshikazu Nishigaya of Tokyo Theatres. Uzbekistan’s national cinema agency Uzbekkino serves as co-producer, with backing from the Ministry of Tourism, through the State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Tourism Development.
The story involves the host of a popular travel show who is in fact insular and shy on a trip to Central Asia, where her assignment calls for the filming of a mythical fish. As things go wrong,...
Starring Atsuko Maeda, Ryo Kase, and Shota Sometani, the film is a rare example of a Japanese-Uzbekistan co-production. Production is by Eiko Mizuno-Gray and Jason Gray of Tokyo-based Loaded Films and Toshikazu Nishigaya of Tokyo Theatres. Uzbekistan’s national cinema agency Uzbekkino serves as co-producer, with backing from the Ministry of Tourism, through the State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Tourism Development.
The story involves the host of a popular travel show who is in fact insular and shy on a trip to Central Asia, where her assignment calls for the filming of a mythical fish. As things go wrong,...
- 5/16/2019
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Indie sales house, Free Stone Productions has picked up sales rights on “To The Ends Of The Earth,” the new film by Japanese directing icon Kiyoshi Kurosawa.
Starring Atsuko Maeda, Ryo Kase, and Shota Sometani, the film is a rare example of a Japanese-Uzbekistan co-production. Production is by Eiko Mizuno-Gray and Jason Gray of Tokyo-based Loaded Films and Toshikazu Nishigaya of Tokyo Theatres. Uzbekistan’s national cinema agency Uzbekkino serves as co-producer, with backing from the Ministry of Tourism, through the State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Tourism Development.
The story involves the host of a popular travel show who is in fact insular and shy on a trip to Central Asia, where her assignment calls for the filming of a mythical fish. As things go wrong, and team members return to Tokyo, she discovers a new freedom in the mountains.
“The once-great Timurid Empire has fascinated me for decades.
Starring Atsuko Maeda, Ryo Kase, and Shota Sometani, the film is a rare example of a Japanese-Uzbekistan co-production. Production is by Eiko Mizuno-Gray and Jason Gray of Tokyo-based Loaded Films and Toshikazu Nishigaya of Tokyo Theatres. Uzbekistan’s national cinema agency Uzbekkino serves as co-producer, with backing from the Ministry of Tourism, through the State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Tourism Development.
The story involves the host of a popular travel show who is in fact insular and shy on a trip to Central Asia, where her assignment calls for the filming of a mythical fish. As things go wrong, and team members return to Tokyo, she discovers a new freedom in the mountains.
“The once-great Timurid Empire has fascinated me for decades.
- 5/9/2019
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Japan’s film industry is still highly insular, making films mostly by Japanese for Japanese audiences. But over the past two decades Japan-resident, non-natives have been making inroads.
They include Australian scriptwriter Max Mannix with the Kiyoshi Kurosawa drama “Tokyo Sonata,” Welsh director John Williams and Canadian producer Jason Gray with the futuristic anthology “Ten Years Japan”.
Simultaneously, more Japanese talent is going abroad to study and work. Examples include “Pacific Rim” star Rinko Kikuchi, and Kiyoshi Kurosawa who shot his upcoming “To the Ends of the Earth”) in Uzbekistan.
Two people emblematic of these trends, are husband and wife Eric Nyari and Ema Ryan Yamazaki. Son of Balazs Nyari, the president of New York post-production house Cineric, Nyari came to Japan at age 21 and in 2009 at age 28, produced his first film, the Atsushi Ogata comedy “Cast Me If You Can.” Since then Nyari has amassed more than 20 producing credits,...
They include Australian scriptwriter Max Mannix with the Kiyoshi Kurosawa drama “Tokyo Sonata,” Welsh director John Williams and Canadian producer Jason Gray with the futuristic anthology “Ten Years Japan”.
Simultaneously, more Japanese talent is going abroad to study and work. Examples include “Pacific Rim” star Rinko Kikuchi, and Kiyoshi Kurosawa who shot his upcoming “To the Ends of the Earth”) in Uzbekistan.
Two people emblematic of these trends, are husband and wife Eric Nyari and Ema Ryan Yamazaki. Son of Balazs Nyari, the president of New York post-production house Cineric, Nyari came to Japan at age 21 and in 2009 at age 28, produced his first film, the Atsushi Ogata comedy “Cast Me If You Can.” Since then Nyari has amassed more than 20 producing credits,...
- 11/22/2018
- by Mark Schilling
- Variety Film + TV
Cult Japanese director, Kiyoshi Kurosawa will shoot his new drama “To the Ends of the Earth” in Uzbekistan and Japan. The film will be his next effort after “Foreboding” which played recently in the Berlin film festival’s Panorama section.
With an original screenplay by Kurosawa, “To the Ends of the Earth” is a journey of enlightenment that follows an inward-looking and cautious TV host as she visits Uzbekistan, which is both far away and utterly foreign. The cast, which features both Japanese and Uzbek actors, will be announced in May once filming is under way.
Production is by Eiko Mizuno-Gray and Jason Gray of Tokyo-based Loaded Films and Toshikazu Nishigaya of Tokyo Theatres. Uzbekistan’s national cinema agency Uzbekkino serves as co-producer, with backing from the Ministry of Tourism, through the State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Tourism Development.
“To the Ends of the Earth” is aiming...
With an original screenplay by Kurosawa, “To the Ends of the Earth” is a journey of enlightenment that follows an inward-looking and cautious TV host as she visits Uzbekistan, which is both far away and utterly foreign. The cast, which features both Japanese and Uzbek actors, will be announced in May once filming is under way.
Production is by Eiko Mizuno-Gray and Jason Gray of Tokyo-based Loaded Films and Toshikazu Nishigaya of Tokyo Theatres. Uzbekistan’s national cinema agency Uzbekkino serves as co-producer, with backing from the Ministry of Tourism, through the State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Tourism Development.
“To the Ends of the Earth” is aiming...
- 4/3/2018
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Maris Martinsons [pictured] to direct Magic Kimono, starring Kaori Momoi.
Latvian filmmaker Maris Martinsons will direct the first ever co-production between Japan and the Baltics, Magic Kimono, with Japanese actress Kaori Momoi (Memoirs Of A Geisha) heading the cast.
Scheduled to shoot in Riga, Latvia and Kobe, Japan from August 15, the tragicomedy is co-produced by Linda Krukle for Latvia’s KrukFilms, Eiko and Jason Gray for Japan’s Loaded Films and Sten Saluveer for Estonia’s Oree Films.
The story follows a Japanese woman’s efforts to open a sushi restaurant in Riga whilst coming to terms with the rich food culture of Northern Europe and the sudden reappearance of a long-lost husband. Latvian celebrity chef Martins Sirmais will also serve as food consultant on the film.
The €1.3m project, which recently passed the UniJapan Co-Production Certificate, will also be backed by Latvian investor Boris Teterev, who recently invested in Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez’ Sin City: A Dame To Kill For.
Martinsons...
Latvian filmmaker Maris Martinsons will direct the first ever co-production between Japan and the Baltics, Magic Kimono, with Japanese actress Kaori Momoi (Memoirs Of A Geisha) heading the cast.
Scheduled to shoot in Riga, Latvia and Kobe, Japan from August 15, the tragicomedy is co-produced by Linda Krukle for Latvia’s KrukFilms, Eiko and Jason Gray for Japan’s Loaded Films and Sten Saluveer for Estonia’s Oree Films.
The story follows a Japanese woman’s efforts to open a sushi restaurant in Riga whilst coming to terms with the rich food culture of Northern Europe and the sudden reappearance of a long-lost husband. Latvian celebrity chef Martins Sirmais will also serve as food consultant on the film.
The €1.3m project, which recently passed the UniJapan Co-Production Certificate, will also be backed by Latvian investor Boris Teterev, who recently invested in Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez’ Sin City: A Dame To Kill For.
Martinsons...
- 2/9/2015
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
With a little over a month to go before the 18th Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival kicks off in South Korea, the festival's Network of Asian Fantastic Films (Naff) project market has unveiled the 21 new genre features to be highlighted this year.From 156 submitted projects from 24 different countries, 17 of the selected projects hail from Asia, including 6 from South Korea. Highlights include Yubari Grand Prix winner Lisa Takeba's new sci-fi film Haruko's Paranormal Laboratory, Antony Szeto's Wild Cat from China, Jason Gray's feature debut Where Wolves Fear To Prey, as well as The Shadow Zone, from My Wife is a Gangster director Jo Jin Kyu.During Naff's 4-day event, filmmakers will have the opportunity to pitch their projects to assembled producers and investors...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 6/5/2014
- Screen Anarchy
Tiffcom 2013, which runs during the Tokyo International Film Festival, has revealed its CoPro Connection line-up including projects from Sabu and Nicolas Winding Refn.
Comprising 20 projects from 12 countries, the co-production event will run Oct 22-24 in Tiffcom’s Odaiba venue.
In cooperation with the Korean Film Council (Kofic), CoPro Connection has invited five Korean filmmakers with Korea-Japan co-production projects. These include Shobu, to be directed by Ki-hwan Oh, whose Korea-China co-produced romantic comedy A Wedding Invitation was a recent hit in China.
Tiffcom’s CoPro and Atelier du Cinema Europeen (Ace) will jointly hold the Ace Co-production Lab in Japan for the five Japanese and six European projects in the selection. These include Japanese writer/director/actor Sabu’s cross-media project Ten No Chasuke (working title) and Drive director Nicolas Winding Refn’s Japan-set project, The Avenging Silence.
Project and event details will be available later this month on the Tiffcom website.
Full CoPro Connection...
Comprising 20 projects from 12 countries, the co-production event will run Oct 22-24 in Tiffcom’s Odaiba venue.
In cooperation with the Korean Film Council (Kofic), CoPro Connection has invited five Korean filmmakers with Korea-Japan co-production projects. These include Shobu, to be directed by Ki-hwan Oh, whose Korea-China co-produced romantic comedy A Wedding Invitation was a recent hit in China.
Tiffcom’s CoPro and Atelier du Cinema Europeen (Ace) will jointly hold the Ace Co-production Lab in Japan for the five Japanese and six European projects in the selection. These include Japanese writer/director/actor Sabu’s cross-media project Ten No Chasuke (working title) and Drive director Nicolas Winding Refn’s Japan-set project, The Avenging Silence.
Project and event details will be available later this month on the Tiffcom website.
Full CoPro Connection...
- 9/10/2013
- by hjnoh2007@gmail.com (Jean Noh)
- ScreenDaily
A panel discussion on ‘India: Bollywood & the Independents’ will be held at the Asian Film Summit of the Toronto International Film Festival 2012.
The panelists include Shailja Gupta, Red Chillies, Guneet Monga, Anurag Kashyap Films and Mira Nair (The Reluctant Fundamentalist).
The Tiff Asian Film Summit will be held on Monday, September 10, alongside the Toronto International Film Festival.
Panel moderators at the Summit will include Patrick Frater from Film Business Asia, Zaib Shaikh from Governor Films, Wendy Mitchell from Screen International, Mike Goodridge from Protagonist Pictures,Peter Howell from the Toronto Star, Jason Gray from Screen International, Meenakshi Shedde, Sean Farnel and Tiff’s Cameron Bailey and Colin Geddes.
Also See, Toronto 2012 announces 10 Indian films of Mumbai City to City program.
The panelists include Shailja Gupta, Red Chillies, Guneet Monga, Anurag Kashyap Films and Mira Nair (The Reluctant Fundamentalist).
The Tiff Asian Film Summit will be held on Monday, September 10, alongside the Toronto International Film Festival.
Panel moderators at the Summit will include Patrick Frater from Film Business Asia, Zaib Shaikh from Governor Films, Wendy Mitchell from Screen International, Mike Goodridge from Protagonist Pictures,Peter Howell from the Toronto Star, Jason Gray from Screen International, Meenakshi Shedde, Sean Farnel and Tiff’s Cameron Bailey and Colin Geddes.
Also See, Toronto 2012 announces 10 Indian films of Mumbai City to City program.
- 8/14/2012
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
The Toronto International Film Festival revealed more details about its planned Asian Summit, which takes place on Monday, September 10th, at the Shangri-La Hotel in Toronto. It was no secret that the guests of honour would include internationally renowned actor, director and producer Jackie Chan, and it was revealed today that Harvey Weinstein, co-Chairman of The Weinstein Company, will act as the Mc for the summit’s closing banquet.
The aim of the Asian summit is to provide programming that explores the relationship between East and West, by bringing together industry experts and specialists. “In a year when our Opening Night Gala Looper is a Us-China co-production, we’re pleased to provide a platform in Toronto for industry leaders in both Asia and the West to get to know one another better. It will be an honour to be in the room as people like Senator Dodd, Ashok Amritraj, Bill Kong,...
The aim of the Asian summit is to provide programming that explores the relationship between East and West, by bringing together industry experts and specialists. “In a year when our Opening Night Gala Looper is a Us-China co-production, we’re pleased to provide a platform in Toronto for industry leaders in both Asia and the West to get to know one another better. It will be an honour to be in the room as people like Senator Dodd, Ashok Amritraj, Bill Kong,...
- 8/13/2012
- by Katherine Matthews
- Bollyspice
The 65th Cannes International Film Festival lineup has been announced, and although the list is a little light on Asian entries in general, Japan will be represented.
Just a few days ago, Takashi Miike was joking about how he went to Cannes last year for Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai, but probably wouldn’t be invited back this year for his latest work, the multi-genre manga adaptation that even its star is incapable of describing - Ai to Makoto.
Defying the director’s expectations, the film has actually been selected as part of the Midnight Screenings section of the festival.
Koji Wakamatsu’s 11.25 the Day He Chose His Own Fate will compete in the festival’s Un Certain Regard section. The film depicts the life of prolific author and right-wing nationalist Yukio Mishima in the days leading up to his death by seppuku.
The only Japanese-language film in the main...
Just a few days ago, Takashi Miike was joking about how he went to Cannes last year for Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai, but probably wouldn’t be invited back this year for his latest work, the multi-genre manga adaptation that even its star is incapable of describing - Ai to Makoto.
Defying the director’s expectations, the film has actually been selected as part of the Midnight Screenings section of the festival.
Koji Wakamatsu’s 11.25 the Day He Chose His Own Fate will compete in the festival’s Un Certain Regard section. The film depicts the life of prolific author and right-wing nationalist Yukio Mishima in the days leading up to his death by seppuku.
The only Japanese-language film in the main...
- 4/20/2012
- Nippon Cinema
For those who have followed Japanese film for any length of time Jason Gray's name is a familiar one. Gray has long covered the Japanese industry for the trade papers in addition to work translating subtitles for Japanese film and writing about the state of things for his personal blog. Gray has even chipped in the occasional article here at Twitch. And now, after years spent writing about films made in Japan, he's gone out and made one.Titled Yukuharu, the picture is a short directed, written and edited by Gray with Paul Leeming working as Dp. The one line synopsis is straight to the point: A 10-year-old girl is faced with the prospect of her first kiss when tragedy strikes...Gray has been good enough...
- 1/25/2012
- Screen Anarchy
Hot damn. That’s one seriously violent trailer. The clip for director Gu Su-yeon’s upcoming flick “Hard Romanticker” looks deliciously violent, which is precisely what I’ve come to adore about Japanese cinema. The video features all sorts of head trauma, though the violence isn’t exclusively limited to cranial damage. What’s more, the film appears to have a decidedly dark sense of humor, which may have more to do with the trailer’s score than anything else. You’ll see what I mean in a minute. I’m assuming, of course, that you’re going to watch it. Here’s a synopsis, courtesy of Jason Gray: Hard Romanticker is based on Gu’s semi-autobiographical eponymous novel published in 2001 by Kadokawa Haruki’s imprint. With his hair dyed platinum blonde, Matsuda stars as “Gu,” a second-generation Korean living life as a high school dropout working part-time jobs...
- 9/12/2011
- by Todd Rigney
- Beyond Hollywood
[Our very sincere thanks to Screen International contributor, film translator and all purpose man of Japanese film Jason Gray for the following report from the set of Shinji Imaoka's Underwater Love.]
Just over a month ago I had the opportunity to visit the set of Shinji Imaoka's latest pink film production, Underwater Love (Onna no Kappa, 『おんなの河童』), shot by legendary cinematographer Christopher Doyle (see previous Twitch post). Underwater Love marks Japanese production company Kokuei's 50th year in the pinku eiga business as well as their first foreign co-production, in partnership with Germany's Rapid Eye Movies.
I was picked up in front of famed indie cinema Theater Pole-Pole Higashi-Nakano by the film's publicity company staff and we were off to Lake Kasumigaura in Ibaraki Prefecture. I was joined on the 90km ride by Japanese cinema expert and former Tokyo animeOnline editor Bryan Hartzheim, who also happened to translate the shooting draft of the Underwater Love screenplay.
We turned off the highway, navigating local roads and rural routes until we finally arrived at the waterfront set. Lake Kasumigaura was much larger than I expected.
Just over a month ago I had the opportunity to visit the set of Shinji Imaoka's latest pink film production, Underwater Love (Onna no Kappa, 『おんなの河童』), shot by legendary cinematographer Christopher Doyle (see previous Twitch post). Underwater Love marks Japanese production company Kokuei's 50th year in the pinku eiga business as well as their first foreign co-production, in partnership with Germany's Rapid Eye Movies.
I was picked up in front of famed indie cinema Theater Pole-Pole Higashi-Nakano by the film's publicity company staff and we were off to Lake Kasumigaura in Ibaraki Prefecture. I was joined on the 90km ride by Japanese cinema expert and former Tokyo animeOnline editor Bryan Hartzheim, who also happened to translate the shooting draft of the Underwater Love screenplay.
We turned off the highway, navigating local roads and rural routes until we finally arrived at the waterfront set. Lake Kasumigaura was much larger than I expected.
- 8/8/2010
- Screen Anarchy
Sushi Typhoon was in full swing at Cannes pushing the third film in their repertoire, Sion Sono's next film, the serial murder thriller Cold Fish.
Thanks to the fine folks at AsianFilm.fr we now have the sales flyer to share with you which includes a lengthy synopsis of the film. For some it may not be entirely spoiler free.
On a side note Jason Gray wrote in an article back in February about the film that the real life case this story is partially based didn't involve rare fish, but rare dogs. You know, because the internet is a wonderful thing and some of you may want to do some sleuthing on your own.
Lengthy synopsis and images of the flyer after the break!
Thanks to the fine folks at AsianFilm.fr we now have the sales flyer to share with you which includes a lengthy synopsis of the film. For some it may not be entirely spoiler free.
On a side note Jason Gray wrote in an article back in February about the film that the real life case this story is partially based didn't involve rare fish, but rare dogs. You know, because the internet is a wonderful thing and some of you may want to do some sleuthing on your own.
Lengthy synopsis and images of the flyer after the break!
- 5/24/2010
- Screen Anarchy
From Twitch comes the first trailer for Takao Nakano‘s The Big Tits Zombie 3D, a live-action adaptation of Rei Mikamoto’s “Kyonyu Dragon” manga which, according to Jason Gray, caused a bit of a kerfuffle at Japanese convenience stores during its run.
Sola Aoi, Jav idol and possibly the only J-celeb capable of racking up ~50k Twitter followers in a few weeks, stars as a stripper named Rena Jodo who’s offered a gig at a hot springs resort upon returning from Mexico. Unfortunately, the place is nearly abandoned. Rena and four of her fellow strippers become extremely bored and decide to check out the basement where Maria (Mari Sakurai) discovers a “Book of the Dead”. She proceeds to read it, triggering a zombie outbreak which claims her and two other strippers. The newly zombified Maria becomes the leader of the zombie horde and attempts to establish a new zombie kingdom,...
Sola Aoi, Jav idol and possibly the only J-celeb capable of racking up ~50k Twitter followers in a few weeks, stars as a stripper named Rena Jodo who’s offered a gig at a hot springs resort upon returning from Mexico. Unfortunately, the place is nearly abandoned. Rena and four of her fellow strippers become extremely bored and decide to check out the basement where Maria (Mari Sakurai) discovers a “Book of the Dead”. She proceeds to read it, triggering a zombie outbreak which claims her and two other strippers. The newly zombified Maria becomes the leader of the zombie horde and attempts to establish a new zombie kingdom,...
- 4/18/2010
- Nippon Cinema
Warner Bros. has launched an official website for Hideo Nakata‘s new psychological thriller The Incite Mill which includes a new teaser. Unfortunately, it’s made up entirely of dramatically sequenced stills and text. According to Jason Gray, the promo made for Cannes has actual scenes. If this year’s market is anything like the past few, I’m sure that version will be leaked to a video sharing site any day now.
The film’s Japanese subtitle translates to “7-Day Death Game” and the script is based on a best-selling novel by Honobu Yonezawa. The story involves ten people who are lured to the mysterious “Anki Mansion” by help wanted ads offering 112,000 yen per hour (about $1,200 Usd). Participants are informed that they’ll be recorded 24 hours a day and are given two ominous rules: first, each of them must return to their private room by 10pm each night; and second,...
The film’s Japanese subtitle translates to “7-Day Death Game” and the script is based on a best-selling novel by Honobu Yonezawa. The story involves ten people who are lured to the mysterious “Anki Mansion” by help wanted ads offering 112,000 yen per hour (about $1,200 Usd). Participants are informed that they’ll be recorded 24 hours a day and are given two ominous rules: first, each of them must return to their private room by 10pm each night; and second,...
- 4/16/2010
- Nippon Cinema
A full trailer for Takeshi Kitano‘s Outrage has been released, coinciding with the announcement that the film will be competing in the main competition at the Cannes Film Festival next month.
The film marks Kitano’s return to the hardboiled genre he became known for throughout 90s, and judging from the official promotional blurb, the story should be familiar to anyone who’s ever watched gangster films. It involves several small yakuza clans vying for the favor of the top family as their respective bosses attempt to scheme their way to the top through betrayal and deadly turf battles. Kitano plays a veteran, but low-ranking crew leader named Otomo who’s been around long enough to see the shift in his position from disposable underling to a valuable commodity in the criminal underworld. After all, if the big bosses need some dirty work done to advance their own position,...
The film marks Kitano’s return to the hardboiled genre he became known for throughout 90s, and judging from the official promotional blurb, the story should be familiar to anyone who’s ever watched gangster films. It involves several small yakuza clans vying for the favor of the top family as their respective bosses attempt to scheme their way to the top through betrayal and deadly turf battles. Kitano plays a veteran, but low-ranking crew leader named Otomo who’s been around long enough to see the shift in his position from disposable underling to a valuable commodity in the criminal underworld. After all, if the big bosses need some dirty work done to advance their own position,...
- 4/15/2010
- Nippon Cinema
[Updated with a better quality version of the image and a brief synopsis]
We knew Love Exposure director Sion Sono would be doing his next feature as part of Nikkatsu's Sushu Typhoon line but beyond that details were sketchy in the extreme. And while they still are, really, we now at least have a title. Cold Fish is Sono's upcoming feature for Nikkatsu, a true-life serial killer story.
Here are some plot details courtesy of Screen's Jason Gray:
Cold Fish tells the story of a tropical fish seller named Shamoto (Mitsuru Fukikoshi) who becomes an accomplice to a string of grisly homicides committed by a fellow seller (Denden) and his wife after they hold Shamoto's daughter hostage. Promoted as an unflinching portrait of violence and madness, the story is partially based on a true case.
Fukikoshi and Denden both appeared in Sono's more orthodox 2009 drama Be Sure To Share. The cast also includes Asuka Kurosawa and Megumi Kagurazaka as the daughter.
We knew Love Exposure director Sion Sono would be doing his next feature as part of Nikkatsu's Sushu Typhoon line but beyond that details were sketchy in the extreme. And while they still are, really, we now at least have a title. Cold Fish is Sono's upcoming feature for Nikkatsu, a true-life serial killer story.
Here are some plot details courtesy of Screen's Jason Gray:
Cold Fish tells the story of a tropical fish seller named Shamoto (Mitsuru Fukikoshi) who becomes an accomplice to a string of grisly homicides committed by a fellow seller (Denden) and his wife after they hold Shamoto's daughter hostage. Promoted as an unflinching portrait of violence and madness, the story is partially based on a true case.
Fukikoshi and Denden both appeared in Sono's more orthodox 2009 drama Be Sure To Share. The cast also includes Asuka Kurosawa and Megumi Kagurazaka as the daughter.
- 2/22/2010
- Screen Anarchy
A couple weeks back I received an email from Screen International's Jason Gray as he was putting together a list of the most ass-kicking female heroes from the last decade of Japanese film. He was polling a group of us to get our input and the results are now available online for your perusal. And it's an interesting mix, if I do say so myself, a couple of the choices coming as very pleasant surprises. Check it out here.
- 12/24/2009
- Screen Anarchy
It all starts with Jason Gray tweeting that the official site for Kitano's yakuza film Outrage is live! So Don over at Ryuganji translates it and I in turn 'teef' it and post it here to save you the trouble and strain of all those mouse clicks. Don't say I never do anything for you!
The story begins with Sekiuchi (Kitamura Soichiro), boss of the Sannokai, a huge organised crime syndicate controlling the entire Kanto region, issuing a stern warning to his lieutenant Kato (Miura Tomokazu) and right-hand man Ikemoto (Kunimura Jun), head of the Ikemoto-gumi. Kato orders Ikemoto to bring the unassociated Murase-gumi gang in line, and he immediately passes the task on to his subordinate Otomo (Beat Takeshi), who runs his own crew. The tricky jobs that no-one wants to do always end up in Otomo's lap...
The story begins with Sekiuchi (Kitamura Soichiro), boss of the Sannokai, a huge organised crime syndicate controlling the entire Kanto region, issuing a stern warning to his lieutenant Kato (Miura Tomokazu) and right-hand man Ikemoto (Kunimura Jun), head of the Ikemoto-gumi. Kato orders Ikemoto to bring the unassociated Murase-gumi gang in line, and he immediately passes the task on to his subordinate Otomo (Beat Takeshi), who runs his own crew. The tricky jobs that no-one wants to do always end up in Otomo's lap...
- 12/10/2009
- Screen Anarchy
The fine lads over at Wildgrounds found a number of behind the scenes images from Go Shibata's upcoming Doman Seman. Also noticed that man about Japan Jason Gray provided a lengthier description of the film earlier this month that we didn't pick up on. Shame on us. Thanks to both.
Doman Seman / Horikawa Nakatachiuri
Freeloading Shinsuke and a strange homeless man named Tsutomu are brought together by neighbourhood weirdo Abe. According to Abe, both Shinsuke and Tsutomu are "shikigami" (summoned spirits), called upon to fight rampaging supernatural beings in the streets of Kyoto... Director Shibata Go once again collaborates with Shima Films, who produced Tokyo FILMeX 2004 competition title "Late Bloomer." "Doman Seman / Horikawa Nakatachiuri" transplants elements of Heian-era (8th to 12th century) occult cosmology to modern-day Kyoto in this fantastical film. While commenting on current social ills such as Japan's growing economic disparity and teenage crime, the film effortlessly breaks...
Doman Seman / Horikawa Nakatachiuri
Freeloading Shinsuke and a strange homeless man named Tsutomu are brought together by neighbourhood weirdo Abe. According to Abe, both Shinsuke and Tsutomu are "shikigami" (summoned spirits), called upon to fight rampaging supernatural beings in the streets of Kyoto... Director Shibata Go once again collaborates with Shima Films, who produced Tokyo FILMeX 2004 competition title "Late Bloomer." "Doman Seman / Horikawa Nakatachiuri" transplants elements of Heian-era (8th to 12th century) occult cosmology to modern-day Kyoto in this fantastical film. While commenting on current social ills such as Japan's growing economic disparity and teenage crime, the film effortlessly breaks...
- 11/25/2009
- Screen Anarchy
The other week Jason Gray hinted at having a batch of stills from the upcoming film Kuuki Ningyou that he couldn’t post until time drew closer to Cannes. Well, it starts tomorrow so there is no better time than today to release those stills upon the public and I can say they were well worth the wait. Wow! The images alone are stunning to look at. How can the film possibly measure up. Mr. Magee over at JFilm, the clever fellow that he is, also noted, “One of the umpteenth reasons why was that it was being shot by cinematographer Lee Ping Bing, who shot Wong Kar Wai’s “In the Mood for Love” along with Christopher Doyle as well as a number of films by Taiwanese director Hou Hsiao-hsien. He’s got a wonderful eye and delivers some breathtakingly rich and luminous imagery and it doesn’t...
- 5/13/2009
- by Mack
- Screen Anarchy
Our very great thanks go out today to Jason Gray - English teacher to the stars, film translator and Screen International‘s Japan correspondent - for the following interview with Hideo Nakata, director of J-horror smash hit Ringu and freshly released documentary Foreign Filmmakers’ Guide To Hollywood. Gray had the chance to sit with Nakata and talk at length about the documentary project as well as gathering some bits on upcoming English language feature Chatroom, and was gracious enough to pass the results on to us here.
- 4/1/2009
- by Todd Brown
- Screen Anarchy
The first trailer for Sabu’s next film, Kanikosen (The Cannery Boat), is now online. Our friend in Japan, Jason Gray, said it was coming. He gave me the heads up last week that the site had gone live and it was only a matter of time before there would be a trailer available. I was ever vigilant, checking the site each day since then, looking for the trailer to come up. Trust it to come up during the day while I was at work.
Japanese filmmaker Sabu is returning to the director’s chair after a three-year hiatus with an adaptation of Takiji Kobayashi’s famed literary work The Crab Cannery Ship (Kanikosen). Nightmare Detective star Ryuhei Matsuda will play the lead role of a sailor who spearheads a mutiny against the oppressive ruling regime on a crab fishing and processing vessel. Matsuda is joined by cast members Hidetoshi Nishijima and Hirofumi Arai.
Japanese filmmaker Sabu is returning to the director’s chair after a three-year hiatus with an adaptation of Takiji Kobayashi’s famed literary work The Crab Cannery Ship (Kanikosen). Nightmare Detective star Ryuhei Matsuda will play the lead role of a sailor who spearheads a mutiny against the oppressive ruling regime on a crab fishing and processing vessel. Matsuda is joined by cast members Hidetoshi Nishijima and Hirofumi Arai.
- 2/15/2009
- by Mack
- Screen Anarchy
After paying a whole lot of attention to Tsutsumi Yukihiko’s manga adaptation 20th Century Boys the first chapter in the saga will soon roll out into cinemas in Japan on August 30th. And as the Japanese press get into the early screenings more reports will surface. For now, over on his blog Jason Gray has given some of his thoughts about the film. I don’t think he gives to much away and leaves it relatively spoiler free. Safe to assume that he liked what he saw.
- 8/13/2008
- by Mack
- Screen Anarchy
Back in May Todd posted images from the sales flyer for Shimako Sato’s K-20: Kaijin Nijû Mensô Den. It gave us a bit of an idea how the character design went but you cannot always get the clarity you want from scanning flyers.
Never fear. Jason Gray has noted over on his blog that the official site now has that same image from the flyer in full digital glory on its main page. Much clearer image. Much brighter. Much better. Now we can see some details in the costume. I’ve messed about with the image and tried to brighten it more, bring out more details.
And according to Jason, who did the English translation of the script, “I can say that Kaneshiro Takeshi fans are in for a treat”.
Set in an alternate world where ninety percent of Japan’s wealth is controlled by a small sliver of the aristocracy,...
Never fear. Jason Gray has noted over on his blog that the official site now has that same image from the flyer in full digital glory on its main page. Much clearer image. Much brighter. Much better. Now we can see some details in the costume. I’ve messed about with the image and tried to brighten it more, bring out more details.
And according to Jason, who did the English translation of the script, “I can say that Kaneshiro Takeshi fans are in for a treat”.
Set in an alternate world where ninety percent of Japan’s wealth is controlled by a small sliver of the aristocracy,...
- 8/4/2008
- by Mack
- Screen Anarchy
Big, big news here courtesy of Jason Gray. Though he is still guiding his dark thriller I Come With The Rain - check the archive for the stunning promo reel - through the post-production process, French-Vietnamese director Tran Anh Hung is already planning his next project, and what a project it will be. The director of Cyclo and A Vertical Ray of the Sun will next be traveling to Japan to direct a Japanese language adaptation of Haruki Murakami’s Norwegian Wood.
Now, Murakami is pretty much a living legend in the literary world, and deservedly so. His work has a drifting, otherworldly quality to it that often make it read like cinema but Murakami has been very protective of his words up until now, having allowed only one of his works to ever be adapted for the screen - a short story titled Tony Takitani - despite multiple offers.
Now, Murakami is pretty much a living legend in the literary world, and deservedly so. His work has a drifting, otherworldly quality to it that often make it read like cinema but Murakami has been very protective of his words up until now, having allowed only one of his works to ever be adapted for the screen - a short story titled Tony Takitani - despite multiple offers.
- 7/31/2008
- by Todd Brown
- Screen Anarchy
- Excuse me while I mop up my brains because my head just went kaboom. Jason Gray of Screen Daily broke word today that Franco-Vietnamese auteur Anh Hung Tran will adapt world-renowned Japanese author Haruki Murakami’s Norwegian Wood for the big screen. First published in 1987, the novel is a nostalgic rumination told through the eyes of college student Toru, a listless drama major who floats through life and relationships in a haze of melancholy. Set in the turbulent ‘60s, when political and social unrest was the order of the day, Murakami takes a hard view on the period as he juxtaposes Toru’s disengaged nature against largely misguided student movement. 8.7 million copies have been sold in Japan alone and it has been translated in 36 languages. Known for his emotionally complex tales of desire and loss, Murakami, who’s style is heavily influenced by the West, is Japan’s most highly regarded author.
- 7/31/2008
- IONCINEMA.com
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.