city Tokyo: Last News

Naman Ramachandran Acclaimed Japanese director Lisa Takeba (“The Pinkie,” “Signal 100”) is developing “Children of the River,” a Japan-Italy co-production that explores themes of identity and loss through the story of twin sisters. The project is participating in the Tokyo Gap-Financing Market operated by TIFFCOM, the film market allied to the Tokyo International Film Festival. The film, slated to shoot in summer 2025, follows Ryoka, a 19-year-old art student who struggles with feelings of inferiority toward her twin sister Kaya.

Naman Ramachandran The Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment (CAPE) is partnering with Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) to launch Beyond Japan, a program aimed at connecting Japanese filmmakers with Hollywood opportunities. The initiative, backed by the Japanese government, kicks off virtually this month before transitioning to in-person sessions in Los Angeles.

Mark Schilling Japan Correspondent The last element of a trilogy exploring subterranean spaces that began with the 2015 “Aragane” and continued with the 2019 “Cenote,” Oda Kaori’s docudrama “Underground” ventures from a subway in Sapporo to caves (locally called “gama”) in Okinawa. It also marks a new direction for the director, whose previous trilogy entries were documentaries. “Underground” is not the first time Oda has mixed fictional and documentary elements, however: Both could also be found in “Thus a Noise Speaks,” a prize-winning 2012 film she made about her family while a college student in the U.S. Screening in the Tokyo International Film Festival’s Nippon Cinema Now section, “Underground” stars Yoshigai Nao as a mysterious woman who serves as a shadowy, all-but-silent guide to Oda’s poetic explorations in the borderlands between darkness and light, life and death, past and present, while establishing her own, independent presence. In an interview, Oda says that she did not initially intend “Underground” as a capstone to a trilogy.

Hong Kong martial arts legend Sammo Hung, prolific Japanese martial arts actor Yasuaki Kurata and action director Kenji Tanigaki discussed martial arts cinema and shared behind-the-scenes anecdotes together in Tokyo.

Hong Kong filmmaker Johnnie To talked through his long career, including his free-wheeling style of shooting, in conversation with Japanese director Yu Irie at Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF). He also acknowledged that Hong Kong filmmakers now have less freedom than they once had. 

Naman Ramachandran Veteran director Johnnie To discussed the challenges of filmmaking under increased regulation in Hong Kong during a conversation with Japanese filmmaker Yu Irie at the Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF). “There is a lot of regulation in Hong Kong, especially when it comes to expression,” To said Thursday when asked about balancing culture with freedom. “You have to think about what you are going to say carefully.

Naman Ramachandran Asian film and tech leaders gathered at TIFFCOM, the market allied to the Tokyo International Film Festival, to discuss the transformative impact of generative AI on film production. They highlighted its potential for dramatic cost reductions and new investment opportunities. Kevin D.C.

Naman Ramachandran Alex Boden, producer of Max/Wowow series “Tokyo Vice,” outlined the hurdles and triumphs of filming the first U.S. studio streamer series shot entirely in Japan during a keynote at the Tokyo International Film Festival. The keynote was delivered as part of a Motion Picture Association event at the festival.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Veteran action movie ace Sammo Hung, Japanese actor Kurata Yasuaki and action choreographer-turned director Tanigaki Kenji had a ball on Thursday in Tokyo as they took a light-hearted trip down memory lane to discuss the state of martial art action movies from Hong Kong. In a panel discussion held in the confines of TIFFCOM, the rights market aligned with the Tokyo International Film Festival, the three were seemingly selected to represent the past, present and future of the genre. “Hong Kong’s place in the film world is well deserved.

Naman Ramachandran Female empowerment meets Mongolian mysticism in “Where the Mountain Women Sing,” a genre-bending feature from director Zhang Juefang that arrives at the Tokyo Gap-Financing Market with 60% of its $800,000 budget secured. The project market is part of TIFFCOM, the content market that is allied with the Tokyo International Film Festival. The film follows Stephanie, a documentary filmmaker who discovers a remote Mongolian village governed by female shamans.

Richard Kuipers A decades-old unproduced screenplay set during Japan’s 1868-’69 civil war has been dusted off and given thoroughly modern action-movie treatment in Kazuya Shiraishi’s “11 Rebels.” A highly entertaining and highly blood-drenched take on the trusty old tale of crooks and miscreants embarking on a military suicide mission on the promise of being pardoned should they happen to survive, “11 Rebels” has just the right balance of spectacular swordplay, revenge-fueled drama and double-crossing political intrigue. After opening the Tokyo Film Festival, Shiraishi’s lusty samurai slash-’em-up will march into Japanese cinemas on Nov.

Richard Kuipers A brief moment that determined the vastly different destinies, fortunes and identities of two sisters from Yunnan on the China-Myanmar border is at the heart of “The Unseen Sister,” a mix of crime suspense and family drama that takes time to warm up before coming home strongly in the second half. Adapted from elements of Zhang Yueran’s 2017 novella, “Sister” is the most commercial film yet by leading Taiwanese filmmaker Midi Z (“Nina Wu,” “Road to Mandalay”). After opening with a bang domestically on Oct.

Naman Ramachandran Industry veterans gathered at the Tokyo International Film Festival‘s (TIFF) annual Motion Picture Association (MPA) seminar to discuss the evolving landscape of filming in Japan and the impact of emerging technologies on global production, with participants highlighting both opportunities and challenges in attracting international projects to the country. Japan’s location incentive scheme, which offers reimbursement of up to 50% of qualifying expenditure in the country, with an upper limit of JPY1 billion ($6.66 million) on each disbursement, is now operational.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Independent Chinese film distributor Road Movies has already tasted success with a succession of imported Japanese animation films. But the company says that China’s youth market is best accessed through a vastly broader strategy that embraces IP, fandom, events, retail and merchandizing. “Our aim is to be a Chinese Disney – not in scale.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief The new co-production treaty signed between Japan and Italy is being touted as a significant step towards reintegrating Japan’s film production industry with those overseas countries. The agreement – signed in June and activated in August – was directly referenced on Monday by Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru and has colored the programming of this week’s Tokyo International Film Festival, which includes a Nanni Moretti retrospective, closes with Marcello Mastroianni tribute film “Marcello Mio” and sees his daughter Chiara Mastroianni set as a member of the festival’s main competition jury. The treaty’s ratification also gave rise to a reception Tuesday at the Italian embassy in Tokyo’s Tamachi district. “Tonight’s reception is more than a celebration — it is a call to action.

Ansel Elgort has booked a new movie role!

Naman Ramachandran A feature debut exploring The Philippines‘ underground punk scene and social activism is participating at the Tokyo Gap-Financing Market, which is part of the Tokyo International Film Festival‘s TIFFCOM market. “Ria,” directed by award-winning short filmmaker Arvin Belarmino, centers on 25-year-old Ria, who lives in a punk commune facing demolition while caring for her diabetic foster mother. Working as a hotel housekeeper, she becomes entangled in underground porn operations as financial pressures mount.

Indian filmmaker Payal Kapadia, who was awarded the Grand Prix at this year’s Cannes film festival for her debut narrative feature All We Imagine As Light, talked about the challenges facing indie filmmakers in India during a conversation with Japanese auteur Hirokazu Kore-eda at Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF). 

Naman Ramachandran Paz Vega-starrer “Death Has No Master,” a Venezuela-set thriller from director Jorge Thielen Armand, is participating in TIFFCOM’s Tokyo Gap-Financing Market, as the producers seek to secure the final 30% of the film’s $1.2 million budget. The film, which previously participated in the Venice Production Bridge’s Gap-Financing Market, stars Vega as a woman who returns to Venezuela after two decades to sell her family’s cacao plantation, has recently shifted its shooting location to Colombia.

Naman Ramachandran Modern Films has taken on the film adaptation of Jessica Au’s award-winning novel “Cold Enough for Snow,” with theater veteran Jemima James set to make her feature directorial debut. The project is at TIFFCOM‘s Tokyo Gap-Financing Market. The source material, which won the inaugural Novel Prize from publishers Fitzcarraldo Editions, New Directions and Giramondo, follows a mother and daughter’s journey through Tokyo as they navigate their complex relationship amid autumn rains and modern art galleries.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Youth romance film “She Taught Me Serendipity” which has its world premiere in competition on Tuesday at the Tokyo International Film Festival, has also enjoyed its first overseas rights sales. The film was licensed to South Korea’s NK Entertainment and to France’s Art House. Rights are represented by Tokyo-based Free Stone Productions. A release in Japan is scheduled for 2025. The debut romance novel of exceptional comic Fukutoku Shusuke (“Jaru Jaru”) comes to life in an adaptation by director Ohku Akiko.