Japanese sales agents will be participating in Filmart Online (March 14-17) with a raft of films produced during the pandemic from speed-racer drama Alivehoon to coming-of-age feature Nagi’s Island to horror films Kisagari Station and The Good Father.
Alivehoon
Dir. Ten Shimoyama
This action sports drama from the director of Shinobi stars Shuhei Nomura (Teiichi: Battle Of Supreme High), Ai Yoshikawa (Honey Lemon Soda), Sho Aoyagi (Last Of The Wolves), Shodai Fukuyama, Takanori Jinnai and Hirotaro Honda. It centres on a drift racing team on the verge of shutting down, which scouts an introverted but incredibly talented e-sport driving gamer. He demonstrates his mastery in a real car but soon must go up against professional drivers who challenge him in races of life and death. Produced by Mugen Films and Soul Boat, the film is set for local release on June 10. Contact: Rikako Ichijo, Aeon Entertainment
The Fish Tale
Dir. Shuichi Okita
Based on the autobiography of celebrity “fish doctor” Sakana-kun, this film follows Meebo from the time he is an elementary student with a love of fish – drawing, examining, and eating fish every day. Although different from the children around him, he pushes forward through life and grows up to become a fish expert. From the director of A Story Of Yonosuke, the film stars Non - a young actress who also made her directorial debut with Ribbon, which premiered at Shanghai film festival in 2021 - cast to play Meebo as a gender-neutral character. Produced by Tokyo Theatre Co., the film is in post-production, aiming for a summer release locally. Contact: Mami Furukawa, Nikkatsu
The Good Father
Dir. Sho Kataoka
From the director of 1/11 Juichibunnoichi, this horror stars Hiroshi Tamaki (Hokusai), Sara Minami (House Of Seasons) and Ryusei Onishi (Ninja Drones?). Five years after a terrible accident where her psychotherapist father’s leg was disabled, her mother left in a coma and her little sister’s face with serious burns, Hana – who was left otherwise unharmed – grapples with emotional scars. She bonds with a boy searching for the answer to his mother’s mental illness but when her father brings her mother home out of a blue, claiming a miracle has happened, she doesn’t believe it can be her. Set to world premiere at Portugal’s Fantasporto in April, the film was a prize-winner at project stage at Culture Entertainment’s Tsutaya Creators’ Program, which discovers and supports new talent. Contact: Rina Sasakura, Culture Entertainment
Grown-ups
Dir. Takuya Kato
Marking the feature directorial debut of playwright and screenwriter Kato, this romantic film depicting the process of becoming a woman stars Mai Kiryu (Lying to Mom) and Kisetsu Fujiwara (Sasaki In My Mind). It follows university student Yumi, who realises she is pregnant but is troubled because her boyfriend might not be the father. Produced by dub inc., the film has recently been completed and is set for local release on June 10. Contact: Ayako Ito, Nagoya Broadcasting Network (NagoyaTV)
Kappei
Dir. Takashi Hirano
This comedy marks the directorial debut of Hirano, the producer of 99.9 Criminal Lawyer: The Movie and What Happened to Our Nest Egg!?. Beginning in 1999, a group of men train to rescue mankind from the Armageddon prophesised by Nostradamus. Flash forward to 2022 and with no end of the world or opportunity to test their highly lethal skills in sight, their master dismisses them and a different kind of coming-of-age tale unfolds. The cast includes Hideaki Ito (Memoirs of a Murderer), Moka Kamishiraishi (One Summer Story), Daigo Nishihata (Naniwa Danshi), Arata Furuta, Yusuke Onuki, Koji Yamamoto and Yukiyoshi Ozawa. Local release is set to begin March 18. Contact: Jungsoo Kim, Tokyo Broadcasting System Television (TBS)
Kisaragi Station
Dir. Jiro Nagae
From the director of Samejima Incident, Kisaragi Station stars Yuri Tsunematsu (Signal 100). It is based on the urban legend started by an internet ghost story where a girl called Hasumi posted real-time updates of her experiences in an empty train station before disappearing. Over the years, the mystery sparked international debate and conjecture online, especially in Taiwan and Hong Kong, with people on social media claiming to have seen the station for themselves. Produced by Canter (Samejima Incident), the film is in post-production with a local release planned for June. Contact: Hakuhodo DY Music & Pictures
Love Is Light
Dir. Keiichi Kobayashi
This romantic fantasy is based on Aki Eda’s comic book “Koi wa Hikari” and depicts the first love of a university student who has the ability to see a glow around women who are in love. His childhood friend, the only person who knows about his ability, has had a crush on him most of her life but does not emit this light. They and two other classmates start to ponder the definition of love through their interactions and the diaries they exchange with one another. Starring Fuju Kamio (Suicide Forest Village), Nanase Nishino (Your Turn To Kill), Yuna Yaira and Fumika Baba, the film is in post-production with a release planned for later this year. Contact: Rie Hatano, Happinet Phantom Studios
Nagi’s Island
Dir. Masahiko Nagasawa
From the director of Night Time Picnic and Being Here, this coming-of-age drama stars Chise Niitsu (TV’s Come Come Everybody). The story centres on fourth-grader Nagi, who moves with her mother to her small hometown island, where her grandmother runs the only clinic. The residents of the island accept the seemingly cheerful girl who has panic attacks triggered by visions of her alcoholic father abusing her mother. When she learns of the residents’ troubles, she tries to support them and lives in peace until her father reappears. Produced by Suurkiitos, the film is in post-production and planned for local release this year. Contact: Mami Furukawa, Nikkatsu
Phases Of The Moon (tentative title)
Dir. Ryuichi Hiroki
This reincarnation fantasy romance drama from the director of The Miracles Of The Namiya General Store stars Yo Oizumi (I Am A Hero), Kasumi Arimura (Café Funiculi Funicula), Ren Meguro (Snow Man) and Ko Shibasaki (La Maison De Himiko). It is based on Shogo Sato’s novel “Tsuki no Michikake” (literally translates to Phases of the Moon), which won the prestigious Naoki Sanjugo Prize in 2017. It centres on a man who loses his wife and daughter in a car accident and years later learns that the girl’s strange behaviour growing up was due to her memories of previous lives and her star-crossed love affair with a man. In post-production, the film is set for release this winter in Japan. Contact: Shochiku
Residents Of Evil
Dir. Katsumi Sasaki
From the up-and-coming director of When You Wish Upon a Star, this horror feature stars Cocoro Ebino, Kento Ono, Miyu Kojima and RaMu. It follows an aspiring actress who is persuaded by her manager to participate in a ghost hunt to be shown on YouTube. She and two girls move into an apartment building, which was the scene of gruesome murders, an attempt to film the ghosts said to haunt it and soon begin to experience strange phenomena. Produced by Shaiker, the film was released locally on February 18. Contact: ColorBird
Straying
Dir. Rikiya Imaizumi
Directed by Imaizumi (His) from a screenplay by Hideo Jojo, Straying focuses on a manga creator and tabloid magazine reporter who are married to each other but on the verge of divorce, who seek solace in extramarital affairs while fighting over who will get custody of their cat. Starring Nairu Yamamoto, Katsuya Maiguma, Miyuu Teshima and Kai Inowaki, the film is produced by Toei Video, Spotted Productions and Leone Co. The film is set for local release on March 18. Contact: Shuichi Okawara, Toei Video
Yes, I Can’t Swim
Dir. Kensaku Watanabe
Starring Hiroki Hasegawa (Why Don’t You Play In Hell?) and Haruka Ayase (Umimachi Diary), the film is produced by Kahou Son at Little More (We Made A Beautiful Bouquet, aka I Fell In Love Like A Flower Bouquet). Making its market premiere at Filmart, the feature is is based on the eponymous novel by Hidemine Takahashi, published by Shinchosha, about a philosophy professor who cannot swim due to past trauma but who decides to overcome his fear of water after meeting a swimming teacher. Distributed locally by Tokyo Theatre, the film is set for a June release in Japan. Contact: Fumiko Nagata / Shizuka Murakami, Free Stone Productions
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