“Kanae (Yoko Maki) struggles to manage her family's bathhouse after her husband, Satoru (Eita Nagayama), suddenly vanishes. She is often possessed by his memories, as well as memories from her childhood that she cannot recall. One day, Takayuki (Arata Iura), a boiler man, comes seeking work and shelter, which Kanae agrees to offer.” (Official)
Undercurrent is Screening as Part of The 2024 Japan Foundation Touring Program
Offering a synopsis only provides a starting point to the work of Rikiya Imaizumi, who, as the press material for the lead-up to the film touring as part of Japan Foundation states, “skilfully portrays the emotions that have long been locked away in people's hearts.” Extending on this concept, “Undercurrents” lingers in that moment of release, making the expression of one's inner emotions not as crucial as stating them. Much of the movie is left open as major questions brought up by characters to others...
Undercurrent is Screening as Part of The 2024 Japan Foundation Touring Program
Offering a synopsis only provides a starting point to the work of Rikiya Imaizumi, who, as the press material for the lead-up to the film touring as part of Japan Foundation states, “skilfully portrays the emotions that have long been locked away in people's hearts.” Extending on this concept, “Undercurrents” lingers in that moment of release, making the expression of one's inner emotions not as crucial as stating them. Much of the movie is left open as major questions brought up by characters to others...
- 2/18/2024
- by Adam Symchuk
- AsianMoviePulse
The official website for the forthcoming live-action feature film adaptation of Soiichiro Yamamoto's romantic comedy manga series Teasing Master Takagi-san , also known as Karakai Jozu No Takagi-san , released teaser trailers and a teaser visual featuring the two main cast members — Mei Nagano as the main heroine, Takagi, and Fumiya Takahashi as the male protagonist, Nishikata. As previously reported , the film's story is set ten years after the original manga when Takagi returns to her old school as an educational intern. Nishikata has grown up and became a physical education teacher at the same school. The clip depicts the scene of their first reunion in ten years. Voice actor Yuki Kaji, who played Nishikata in the anime series , serves as the narrator. 30-second edition 15-second edition The teaser visual was shot on Shodoshima Island, where the film's main story took place, and includes the tagline "Nishikata, I'm home." Related: Teasing Master...
- 1/19/2024
- by Mikikazu Komatsu
- Crunchyroll
TBS announced on their official website that the live-action series of Teasing Master Takagi-san is set to start airing on March 26, 2023.
New scene cuts from the upcoming live-action series have also been revealed, offering fans a glimpse into the on-screen chemistry of the lead characters.
Prior to its Japanese release, the live-action series will be available to stream worldwide on Neflix. The exact date is yet to be revealed.
It was previously revealed that Rui Tsukishima, who is an exclusive model for Shueisha’s Seventeen magazine, will play the role of Takagi, and Soya Kurokawa, known for his role in Hirokazu Koreeda’s Monster, has been cast as Nishikata.
Teasing Master Takagi-san live-action series was entirely filmed on Shodo Island at Kagawa Prefecture, which also served as the setting for the anime adaptation.
Rikiya Imaizumi will serve as the director while also co-writing the scripts with Tomoki Kanazawa and Jun Hagimori.
New scene cuts from the upcoming live-action series have also been revealed, offering fans a glimpse into the on-screen chemistry of the lead characters.
Prior to its Japanese release, the live-action series will be available to stream worldwide on Neflix. The exact date is yet to be revealed.
It was previously revealed that Rui Tsukishima, who is an exclusive model for Shueisha’s Seventeen magazine, will play the role of Takagi, and Soya Kurokawa, known for his role in Hirokazu Koreeda’s Monster, has been cast as Nishikata.
Teasing Master Takagi-san live-action series was entirely filmed on Shodo Island at Kagawa Prefecture, which also served as the setting for the anime adaptation.
Rikiya Imaizumi will serve as the director while also co-writing the scripts with Tomoki Kanazawa and Jun Hagimori.
- 1/5/2024
- by Ami Nazru
- AnimeHunch
2023 was a weird year for Asian cinema. Although the “usual” Japanese masters were here once more, the Korean movie industry seems to have taken a significant step back in the absence of any work from their own big names, while the creative powers that have been boiling for some time in Asean countries and South-West Asia in general seem to be erupting at the moment, in, perhaps, a sign that the epicenter of Asian cinema might be changing soon. Apart from this, Iran, Taiwan and mainland China continued on the same path of quality, Hong Kong seems to find a new way with social/family dramas, while the biggest surprise seems to come from Sri Lanka, with the country producing a number of truly great films this year. Lastly, the progress of the diaspora films and particularly Asian-American ones continues, with “Past Lives” being a worthy successor to “Minari”
It...
It...
- 12/14/2023
- by AMP Group
- AsianMoviePulse
Soichiro Yamamoto’s Teasing Master Takagi-San is yet inspiring another live-action adaptation, and this time in the form of a film. It is scheduled to release on May 31, 2024.
While the previously announced live-action series follows the manga storyline portraying the middle school days of the two main characters, the film is set ten years after the their middle school days. It will feature an original story.
Mei Nagano will play the role of Takagi, who is now a now a trainee teacher in alma mater, and Fumiya Takahashi will play Nishikata, who is a gym teacher at the same school.
Rikiya Imaizumi will serve as the director for the live-action film while also co-writing the scripts with Tomoki Kanazawa and Jun Hagimori. Takashi Ohmama is in charge of composing the music.
Just like the live-action series, the film is also set in on Shodo Island at Kagawa Prefecture, which served...
While the previously announced live-action series follows the manga storyline portraying the middle school days of the two main characters, the film is set ten years after the their middle school days. It will feature an original story.
Mei Nagano will play the role of Takagi, who is now a now a trainee teacher in alma mater, and Fumiya Takahashi will play Nishikata, who is a gym teacher at the same school.
Rikiya Imaizumi will serve as the director for the live-action film while also co-writing the scripts with Tomoki Kanazawa and Jun Hagimori. Takashi Ohmama is in charge of composing the music.
Just like the live-action series, the film is also set in on Shodo Island at Kagawa Prefecture, which served...
- 11/28/2023
- by Ami Nazru
- AnimeHunch
Rikiya Imaizumi has been quite prolific during the last few years, coming up with two movies every year since 2019, with all of them being definitely above average. “Call Me Chihiro” however, which is based on the manga series “Chihirosan” by Hiroyuki Yasuda, seems to be his best so far.
Click the image below to follow our Tribute to Netflix
As the story begins, we meet Chihiro, a 29-years-old woman working at a bento stall at a seaside town, catering to the regulars, most of whom men who seem to be particularly fond of her, both for the overall warm and friendly attitude and for the fact that she is quite open about her previous job at a massage parlor. It seems that that is actually the role Chihiro has chosen to play in the particular setting, as a kind of guardian angel for all the lonesome and troubled souls of the area.
Click the image below to follow our Tribute to Netflix
As the story begins, we meet Chihiro, a 29-years-old woman working at a bento stall at a seaside town, catering to the regulars, most of whom men who seem to be particularly fond of her, both for the overall warm and friendly attitude and for the fact that she is quite open about her previous job at a massage parlor. It seems that that is actually the role Chihiro has chosen to play in the particular setting, as a kind of guardian angel for all the lonesome and troubled souls of the area.
- 5/16/2023
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
The month of February ended with a number of newer Netflix releases dominating its weekly Top 10. Christopher Landon‘s horror film “We Have a Ghost,” starring David Harbour and Anthony Mackie, remained the #1 movie with 42.6 million hours viewed, placing in the Top 10 in 93 countries. Read on for the Netflix Top 10 (Week of February 27).
Nathaniel Martello-White‘s thriller “The Strays” remained in second place with 14.6 million views, while two action movies that bombed in theaters — 2007’s “The Condemned” (starring Jason Statham and Vinnie Jones) and 2013’s “R.I.P.D.” (starring Jeff Bridges and Ryan Reynolds) — entered the Top 10 in third and fourth place. “R.I.P.D.” was actually tied with Will Smith and Martin Lawrence’s 2020 hit, “Bad Boys For Life,” with 8.3 million views.
See Netflix Oscar movies: 16 wins and counting
The crime-action series “Outer Banks,” starring Chase Stokes and Madelyn Cline, continues to be an enormous worldwide hit for Netflix. The third season topped...
Nathaniel Martello-White‘s thriller “The Strays” remained in second place with 14.6 million views, while two action movies that bombed in theaters — 2007’s “The Condemned” (starring Jason Statham and Vinnie Jones) and 2013’s “R.I.P.D.” (starring Jeff Bridges and Ryan Reynolds) — entered the Top 10 in third and fourth place. “R.I.P.D.” was actually tied with Will Smith and Martin Lawrence’s 2020 hit, “Bad Boys For Life,” with 8.3 million views.
See Netflix Oscar movies: 16 wins and counting
The crime-action series “Outer Banks,” starring Chase Stokes and Madelyn Cline, continues to be an enormous worldwide hit for Netflix. The third season topped...
- 3/7/2023
- by Edward Douglas
- Gold Derby
Call Me Chihiro is a movie directed by Rikiya Imaizumi starring Kasumi Arimura. With Lily Franky and Jun Fubuki. It is based on a manga by Hiroyuki Yasuda.
This movie seeks enchanting the viewer with the always charming presence of Kasumi Arimura in a movie created for her in which she manages to bring that “special touch” of special manga by Hiroyuki Yasuda.
Movie Review Call Me Chihiro (2023)
This movie is all about taking its time in order to describe the characters and the situations, the inner world and, above all, that poetic world that extends itself beyond the narrative, which is apparently simple and even uncomplicated if considered from a classic way, but is essentially paused and reflective, a very beautiful movie.
Call Me Chihiro is, above all a movie in which the lead character knows how to seduce the viewer and displays herself exactly as she is: this...
This movie seeks enchanting the viewer with the always charming presence of Kasumi Arimura in a movie created for her in which she manages to bring that “special touch” of special manga by Hiroyuki Yasuda.
Movie Review Call Me Chihiro (2023)
This movie is all about taking its time in order to describe the characters and the situations, the inner world and, above all, that poetic world that extends itself beyond the narrative, which is apparently simple and even uncomplicated if considered from a classic way, but is essentially paused and reflective, a very beautiful movie.
Call Me Chihiro is, above all a movie in which the lead character knows how to seduce the viewer and displays herself exactly as she is: this...
- 2/23/2023
- by Movies Martin Cid Magazine
- Martin Cid Magazine - Movies
The themes of Rikiya Imaizumi’s films are en vogue right now, tackling slow-developing love stories, and indeed their fallout, in a dialogue-heavy approach. With slick, stylish coffee shop and urbane apartment settings, “By the Window” has a lot in common with many modern Japanese novels, as well as the films of fellow director Ryusuke Hamaguchi, a director whose career his has paralleled.
Shigemi (Goro Inagaki) is a freelance literary critic, married to editor Sae (Yuri Nakamura). From early on, we can see that their relationship has become more about sharing opinions on work than listening to each other. As such, Sae is having an affair with a novelist, and Shigemi knows it. Attending the press conference for her prize-winning new novel, he befriends young writer Rua (Tina Tamashiro), and the pair regularly meet to discuss the inspiration for her characters. Their age difference means nothing can happen, though it...
Shigemi (Goro Inagaki) is a freelance literary critic, married to editor Sae (Yuri Nakamura). From early on, we can see that their relationship has become more about sharing opinions on work than listening to each other. As such, Sae is having an affair with a novelist, and Shigemi knows it. Attending the press conference for her prize-winning new novel, he befriends young writer Rua (Tina Tamashiro), and the pair regularly meet to discuss the inspiration for her characters. Their age difference means nothing can happen, though it...
- 1/12/2023
- by Andrew Thayne
- AsianMoviePulse
Psychological thriller The Beasts, directed by Spain’s Rodrigo Sorogoyen, won three awards at this year’s Tokyo International Film Festival, including the Tokyo Grand Prix, best director and best actor for Denis Menochet.
The film, which premiered in an Out Of Competition slot at this year’s Cannes film festival, follows a French couple who move to Spain’s Galician countryside to run an organic farm, but receive a hostile welcome from the locals. The Tokyo Grand Prix comes with a cash award of Y3M.
Iranian filmmaker Houman Seyedi’s satirical drama World War III took the Special Jury Prize at the festival following its wins in Venice for best film and best actor in the Horizons section. Tokyo’s Special Jury Prize comes with a cash award of Y500,000.
Best actress went to Aline Kuppenheim for her role in Manuela Martelli’s 1976, in which she...
The film, which premiered in an Out Of Competition slot at this year’s Cannes film festival, follows a French couple who move to Spain’s Galician countryside to run an organic farm, but receive a hostile welcome from the locals. The Tokyo Grand Prix comes with a cash award of Y3M.
Iranian filmmaker Houman Seyedi’s satirical drama World War III took the Special Jury Prize at the festival following its wins in Venice for best film and best actor in the Horizons section. Tokyo’s Special Jury Prize comes with a cash award of Y500,000.
Best actress went to Aline Kuppenheim for her role in Manuela Martelli’s 1976, in which she...
- 11/3/2022
- by Liz Shackleton
- Deadline Film + TV
“The Beasts,” Rodrigo Sorogoyen’s psychological thriller about a French couple who come to live a peaceful life in Spain’s Galician countryside, but get a less than warm welcome from the locals, won the Tokyo Grand Prix at the 35th Tokyo International Film Festival at Tuesday night’s closing ceremony.
The festival, which unspooled Oct. 24 to Nov. 2 at venues in central Tokyo, also awarded Sorogoyen Best Director honors and named “The Beasts” star Denis Menochet best actor.
The film, which premiered out of competition at Cannes this year, opened in French theaters in July. The Japan release has yet to be announced, however.
Winning the second-place Special Jury Prize was Iranian director Houman Seyedi’s satirical drama “World War III.” At its premiere in this year’s Venice Film Festival Horizon’s section it won Best Film, while lead Mohsen Tanabandeh took the Best Actor prize. The film’s...
The festival, which unspooled Oct. 24 to Nov. 2 at venues in central Tokyo, also awarded Sorogoyen Best Director honors and named “The Beasts” star Denis Menochet best actor.
The film, which premiered out of competition at Cannes this year, opened in French theaters in July. The Japan release has yet to be announced, however.
Winning the second-place Special Jury Prize was Iranian director Houman Seyedi’s satirical drama “World War III.” At its premiere in this year’s Venice Film Festival Horizon’s section it won Best Film, while lead Mohsen Tanabandeh took the Best Actor prize. The film’s...
- 11/2/2022
- by Mark Schilling
- Variety Film + TV
Further winners included ‘World War III’ and ‘by the window’.
Spanish-French rural thriller The Beasts has won a hat-trick of awards at Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF), including the Tokyo Grand Prix, best director for Rodrigo Sorogoyen and best actor for Denis Menochet.
The winners were announced at the closing ceremony of TIFF’s 35th edition in the Ginza district of Tokyo this evening (November 2).
The Beasts is a psychological thriller starring Ménochet and Marina Foïs as a French couple who settle in a remote Galician village to run an organic farm but whose arrival is seen as a threat...
Spanish-French rural thriller The Beasts has won a hat-trick of awards at Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF), including the Tokyo Grand Prix, best director for Rodrigo Sorogoyen and best actor for Denis Menochet.
The winners were announced at the closing ceremony of TIFF’s 35th edition in the Ginza district of Tokyo this evening (November 2).
The Beasts is a psychological thriller starring Ménochet and Marina Foïs as a French couple who settle in a remote Galician village to run an organic farm but whose arrival is seen as a threat...
- 11/2/2022
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
Second part of the “L/R15” project between Hideo Jojo and RIkiya Imaizumi, which aimed at completing two sex comedies with an R15 classification, following “Love Nonetheless”, “Straying” features the latter as director and the former as scriptwriter, in a style of film that reminds intensely of Hong Sang-soo’s cinema.
Straying is screening at Camera Japan
Ako Machido, who works for an erotic manga magazine for ladies, is about to take a divorce from her husband, Hiro, who works for a tabloid. The operation goes relatively smoothly, but an argument ensues over who takes the cat, Kanta, with both parties wishing to keep him, and the cat eventually sharing his opinion by peeing on the divorce papers. The reason for the divorce is that Hiro is having an extramarital relationship with a colleague, Mamiko, who seems to be quite in love with him, not to mention better at their line of work,...
Straying is screening at Camera Japan
Ako Machido, who works for an erotic manga magazine for ladies, is about to take a divorce from her husband, Hiro, who works for a tabloid. The operation goes relatively smoothly, but an argument ensues over who takes the cat, Kanta, with both parties wishing to keep him, and the cat eventually sharing his opinion by peeing on the divorce papers. The reason for the divorce is that Hiro is having an extramarital relationship with a colleague, Mamiko, who seems to be quite in love with him, not to mention better at their line of work,...
- 10/1/2022
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
“Love Nonetheless” is one part of the “L/R15” collaborative project produced by Gen Sato (the other being Rikiya Imaizumi’s “Straying”) which aims at a revival of the “pink film” in a fashion, though, that respects current social attitudes, essentially meaning without the sexual violence that also came to define the category in its heydays during the 70s. To achieve this goal, Sato has brought together the two filmmakers, in an effort to combine the romantic style of Imaizumi’s movies with Hideo Jojo’s past in the pink industry. The result is definitely different.
“Love Nonetheless” is screening at Udine Far East Film Festival
The story begins inside a secondhand bookstore, where the 30-year-old introverted, bookworm type owner Koji chases a school student, Misaki, who has run away with a book without paying. Their interaction however ends up in a rather unusual fashion, since the girl soon confesses...
“Love Nonetheless” is screening at Udine Far East Film Festival
The story begins inside a secondhand bookstore, where the 30-year-old introverted, bookworm type owner Koji chases a school student, Misaki, who has run away with a book without paying. Their interaction however ends up in a rather unusual fashion, since the girl soon confesses...
- 4/26/2022
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Japanese coming-of-age movies tend to focus on tensions between family members and the pain of growing up, in order to generate drama, which, frequently, results in movies that are more entertaining than realistic. Rikiya Imaizumi, however, who has been making a splash the last few years with his prolific effort, chooses to implement a rather calm approach to present his comments about family and the concept of growing up.
“Skeleton Flowers” screened at Asian Pop-up Cinema
Yo is a high school student who has been living with her father, musical composer Nao, since her mother left them when she was still little. She aspires to be a painter, and her relationship with her father is rather harmonic, as much as the one she shares with her close friends and classmates. All that changes, however, when Nao informs her that he has decided to marry the woman she has been seeing,...
“Skeleton Flowers” screened at Asian Pop-up Cinema
Yo is a high school student who has been living with her father, musical composer Nao, since her mother left them when she was still little. She aspires to be a painter, and her relationship with her father is rather harmonic, as much as the one she shares with her close friends and classmates. All that changes, however, when Nao informs her that he has decided to marry the woman she has been seeing,...
- 3/29/2022
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
After six days packed with films, workshops, lectures and film talks, the 21st Nippon Connection Film Festival ended on Sunday, June 6, 2021 with an online award ceremony. Due to the pandemic, the world’s biggest festival for Japanese cinema once more took place entirely online. The closing ceremony was broadcast via livestream from the festival center at Künstlerhaus Mousonturm in Frankfurt. All four award winners tuned in live from Japan. The numerous positive reactions of the audience via social media proved that the atmosphere of the Nippon Connection Festival, characterized by a lively exchange and encounters, also worked in the digital space.
Rikiya Imaizumi
The audience could vote online for three audience awards. The sixteenth Nippon Cinema Award, sponsored by Bankhaus Metzler in Frankfurt and endowed with a prize money of 2,000 euros, went to the queer film “his”. Director Rikiya Imaizumi offers a hopeful story about the revision of traditional gender...
Rikiya Imaizumi
The audience could vote online for three audience awards. The sixteenth Nippon Cinema Award, sponsored by Bankhaus Metzler in Frankfurt and endowed with a prize money of 2,000 euros, went to the queer film “his”. Director Rikiya Imaizumi offers a hopeful story about the revision of traditional gender...
- 6/9/2021
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
In comparison to other Asian countries, Japan is relatively progressive when it comes to the recognition of LGBT rights, with the March 2021 district court ruling in favor of same-sex marriage being one of the latest developments in that regard. At the same time, as in many other countries and cultures, theory is one thing, but practice is something entirely different, and it might take quite a while before a society which traditionally favors conformism realizes that a same-sex couple not only has the same right, but can be parents just as much. In the past, Japanese director Rikiya Imaizumi has repeatedly discussed the theme of love and social traditions within his home country, for example in his aptly named feature “What is Love?” which talks about how love can possibly bridge prejudices and norms. In “his” the director tackles the issue of same-sex couples, about parenthood and images of gender within his home country.
- 6/4/2021
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
Canada’S Largest Showcase Of Contemporary Japanese Cinema
Streams Across Canada
Saturday, June 5 – Sunday, June 27, 2021
Monday, May 10, 2021 – The Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre’s 10th annual Toronto Japanese Film Festival (Tjff) will be presented across Canada from Saturday, June 5 to Sunday, 27, 2021. During this period, Tjff screenings will be held online, using the Cinesend festival platform, with select onsite screenings at the Jccc’s Kobayashi Hall planned for October, public health protocols permitting. The festival is one of the largest film events of its kind in the world and is recognized by the Japanese film industry as a vital conduit for bringing Japanese film to international audiences.
“When we held the first Toronto Japanese Film Festival, we never dreamed we’d be celebrating our 10th anniversary during a pandemic, said Tjff Director James Heron. “We also never dreamed the festival would be so well attended, loved by Toronto audiences and embraced by...
Streams Across Canada
Saturday, June 5 – Sunday, June 27, 2021
Monday, May 10, 2021 – The Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre’s 10th annual Toronto Japanese Film Festival (Tjff) will be presented across Canada from Saturday, June 5 to Sunday, 27, 2021. During this period, Tjff screenings will be held online, using the Cinesend festival platform, with select onsite screenings at the Jccc’s Kobayashi Hall planned for October, public health protocols permitting. The festival is one of the largest film events of its kind in the world and is recognized by the Japanese film industry as a vital conduit for bringing Japanese film to international audiences.
“When we held the first Toronto Japanese Film Festival, we never dreamed we’d be celebrating our 10th anniversary during a pandemic, said Tjff Director James Heron. “We also never dreamed the festival would be so well attended, loved by Toronto audiences and embraced by...
- 5/19/2021
- by Adam Symchuk
- AsianMoviePulse
Fine entertainment, food for thought, five world premieres and at least a touch of Japanese wackiness and warmth – this is what awaits the audience with around 80 current Japanese short and feature-length films of the 21st Nippon Connection Film Festival. After weeks of hoping and worrying, it is now certain that unfortunately the pandemic will not allow in-theater screenings in 2021 either. The largest festival for Japanese cinema worldwide will once again be held exclusively online from June 1 to 6, 2021.
All films are available online for six days throughout Germany and in some cases outside of Germany. Face-to-face talks with the filmmakers are moving into the digital realm to spark a direct exchange. For everyone whose yearning for Japan is stronger than ever, there is also Nippon Culture: the digital supporting program with over 40 interactive workshops, talks, extraordinary performances and concerts. For the first time, the Nippon Click & Collect Kiosk at the usual...
All films are available online for six days throughout Germany and in some cases outside of Germany. Face-to-face talks with the filmmakers are moving into the digital realm to spark a direct exchange. For everyone whose yearning for Japan is stronger than ever, there is also Nippon Culture: the digital supporting program with over 40 interactive workshops, talks, extraordinary performances and concerts. For the first time, the Nippon Click & Collect Kiosk at the usual...
- 5/16/2021
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
The Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre’s 10th annual Toronto Japanese Film Festival (Tjff) will be presented across Canada from Saturday, June 5 to Sunday, 27, 2021. During this period, Tjff screenings will be held online, using the Cinesend festival platform, with select onsite screenings at the Jccc’s Kobayashi Hall planned for October, public health protocols permitting. The festival is one of the largest film events of its kind in the world and is recognized by the Japanese film industry as a vital conduit for bringing Japanese film to international audiences.
“When we held the first Toronto Japanese Film Festival, we never dreamed we’d be celebrating our 10th anniversary during a pandemic, said Tjff Director James Heron. “We also never dreamed the festival would be so well attended, loved by Toronto audiences and embraced by Japanese directors and actors as the place to introduce their films to North American audiences. On this...
“When we held the first Toronto Japanese Film Festival, we never dreamed we’d be celebrating our 10th anniversary during a pandemic, said Tjff Director James Heron. “We also never dreamed the festival would be so well attended, loved by Toronto audiences and embraced by Japanese directors and actors as the place to introduce their films to North American audiences. On this...
- 5/13/2021
- by Grace Han
- AsianMoviePulse
According to Google, Shimokitazawa, or Shimokita, is a hip cultural quarter with a lingering old-Tokyo vibe. Narrow, mural-painted lanes are lined with stylish stores for vintage clothes and vinyl. Craft cafes and brewpubs host art shows and live bands, while bakeries and bistros serve inventive pastries and veggie curries. Edgy new plays debut at Honda Gekijo Theater, and young directors screen short movies at Tollywood cinema. Rikiya Imaizumi directs a film that aims at transferring the overall atmosphere of the area through a number of youths that inhabit it, while playing with the term moteki , which refers to a period in people’s lives when they become increasingly popular with the opposite sex.
Over the Town is screening at Osaka Asian Film Festival
The film begins with the protagonist, Ao Arakawa, getting dumped particularly brutal by the love of his life, Yuki, who admits to having cheated on him repeatedly,...
Over the Town is screening at Osaka Asian Film Festival
The film begins with the protagonist, Ao Arakawa, getting dumped particularly brutal by the love of his life, Yuki, who admits to having cheated on him repeatedly,...
- 3/14/2021
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
A rare chance to see a small screen work from Palme d’Or-winning (and not only) director Hirokazu Koreeda is available this year at the BFI London Film Festival, with a teaser episode of the drama series “A Day-Off of Kasumi Arimura” (Arimura Kasumi No Satsuky). The 8-episode drama was released in Japan at the beginning of 2020 on Wowwow Channel and it features Kasumi Arimura, a busy and popular actress both in the script and in real life, although the narration is completely fictional. Director Koreeda has directed episode 1 and 3 of the series, while other episodes have different directors.
“A Day-Off of Kasumi Arimura” is screening at the BFI London Film Festival
It’s the onset of winter and seasonal cold is spreading; one of Kasumi’s fellow members of the cast is sick and the next day shooting is cancelled at the last minute. Kasumi has an unexpected day off then,...
“A Day-Off of Kasumi Arimura” is screening at the BFI London Film Festival
It’s the onset of winter and seasonal cold is spreading; one of Kasumi’s fellow members of the cast is sick and the next day shooting is cancelled at the last minute. Kasumi has an unexpected day off then,...
- 10/9/2020
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
With over 35+ films, Camera Japan Festival is proud to announce their full and diverse programme, combining films ranging from de newest and best Japanese arthouse, animation, documentaries, short films and experimental cinema.
The 15th edition of the festival will be opened at LantarenVenster on September 24th with the Dutch premiere of Tanada Yuki’s Romance Doll. The yearly unofficial kick-off will be held on September 23rd at Worm with a screening of the experimental The Day of Destruction by Toyoda Toshiaki. From 1 to 4 October, the festival moves to Amsterdam’s LAB111.
With five international and eight European premieres, the festival consists of a special and exclusive programme. Films such as 108: Revenge and Adventure of Goro Kaiba, Fancy, Haruka’s Pottery, Mother and The Other Home, will have their first screenings outside of Japan here at Camera Japan Festival.
As usual, animation film will be present at Camera Japan Festival.
The 15th edition of the festival will be opened at LantarenVenster on September 24th with the Dutch premiere of Tanada Yuki’s Romance Doll. The yearly unofficial kick-off will be held on September 23rd at Worm with a screening of the experimental The Day of Destruction by Toyoda Toshiaki. From 1 to 4 October, the festival moves to Amsterdam’s LAB111.
With five international and eight European premieres, the festival consists of a special and exclusive programme. Films such as 108: Revenge and Adventure of Goro Kaiba, Fancy, Haruka’s Pottery, Mother and The Other Home, will have their first screenings outside of Japan here at Camera Japan Festival.
As usual, animation film will be present at Camera Japan Festival.
- 9/2/2020
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
Trading platform enables buyers to select films, negotiate rights with sellers, sign contracts and request deliverables directly.
Yokohama-based digital rights trading outfit, Filmination, has launched a platform to provide global VOD acquisitions executives with the ability to buy Japanese films and TV series directly from rights holders.
The site, filmination.jp, builds on the company’s previous browsable catalogue of Japanese films available to global VOD buyers, launched in January 2019. The new platform provides a bilingual marketplace ecosystem, through which buyers can select films, negotiate rights with sellers, sign contracts and request deliverables directly.
Japanese films currently have low penetration on international VOD services,...
Yokohama-based digital rights trading outfit, Filmination, has launched a platform to provide global VOD acquisitions executives with the ability to buy Japanese films and TV series directly from rights holders.
The site, filmination.jp, builds on the company’s previous browsable catalogue of Japanese films available to global VOD buyers, launched in January 2019. The new platform provides a bilingual marketplace ecosystem, through which buyers can select films, negotiate rights with sellers, sign contracts and request deliverables directly.
Japanese films currently have low penetration on international VOD services,...
- 8/18/2020
- by 89¦Liz Shackleton¦0¦
- ScreenDaily
Despite some major issues in the Japanese movie industry, mostly having to do with the lack of a middle ground between independent and blockbuster movies and continuous denial of some major companies to allow their movies to screen outside Japan, 2019 has been quite a good year for local cinema. The international festival circuit gave a lot of films the opportunity to both screen and find some source of funding outside Japan, while creativity (despite the fact that it derives from manga and novels mostly) remains one of the most significant traits of Japanese cinema.
Without further ado, here are the best Japanese films of 2019, in reverse order, with the focus being, as always, on diversity. Some films may have premiered in 2018, but since they mostly circulated in 2019, we decided to include them.
20. Okinawan Blue (Tsukasha Kishimoto)
At the same time, one could say that the film also deals with four...
Without further ado, here are the best Japanese films of 2019, in reverse order, with the focus being, as always, on diversity. Some films may have premiered in 2018, but since they mostly circulated in 2019, we decided to include them.
20. Okinawan Blue (Tsukasha Kishimoto)
At the same time, one could say that the film also deals with four...
- 12/13/2019
- by AMP Group
- AsianMoviePulse
Once known for its popular gang and other action films that had legions of mostly male fans, Toei today has a diverse line-up in a variety of genres. To this edition of Tiffcom the company has brought several new titles, including “Mio’s Recipe for You” a drama about a young female chef in the feudal era, who is determined to fuse the cuisines of Kyoto and Edo (the old name for Tokyo). The director is Haruki Kadokawa, a hit-making veteran producer and director going back to the 1970s.
Also new is “Machi no Ueda,” the latest film by Rikiya Imaizumi, a director who has acquired a cult following for movies about the romantic tribulations of the urban young. His hero is a young man working at a second-hand clothing stores in Shimokitazawa, a trendy Tokyo suburb, when his humdrum existence is upset by the offer of a film role...
Also new is “Machi no Ueda,” the latest film by Rikiya Imaizumi, a director who has acquired a cult following for movies about the romantic tribulations of the urban young. His hero is a young man working at a second-hand clothing stores in Shimokitazawa, a trendy Tokyo suburb, when his humdrum existence is upset by the offer of a film role...
- 10/24/2019
- by Mark Schilling
- Variety Film + TV
It is always a pleasure to watch films that portray unremarkable love stories with realism and still manage to be entertaining. Rikiya Imaizumi does just that with “Just Only Love”, a film based on the novel “Ai Ga Nanda”, by Mitsuyo Kakuta.
Just Only Love screened at Camera Japan
Teruko is an office worker who is involved in a relationship that could only be described as one-sided. You see, she has been in love with Mamoru ever since they met at a friend’s wedding, to the point that the phone calls she receives from him to meet are the only thing that matters in her life, including her friends and work. Eventually, the two of them spend a night together, and Teruko starts to believe that they will become a couple, finally. However, Mamoru does not share her feelings, as it is obvious that he spends time with her...
Just Only Love screened at Camera Japan
Teruko is an office worker who is involved in a relationship that could only be described as one-sided. You see, she has been in love with Mamoru ever since they met at a friend’s wedding, to the point that the phone calls she receives from him to meet are the only thing that matters in her life, including her friends and work. Eventually, the two of them spend a night together, and Teruko starts to believe that they will become a couple, finally. However, Mamoru does not share her feelings, as it is obvious that he spends time with her...
- 10/5/2019
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
The Shanghai International Film Festival unveiled a competition lineup Tuesday that features entries from countries ranging from Indonesia to Estonia – but not the U.S., which is engaged in an increasingly bitter trade war with China.
The government-affiliated festival, which runs June 15-24, will open with the premieres of two Chinese films: Huayi Bros.’ patriotic World War II epic “The Eight Hundred,” directed by Guan Hu, and “Chuanyue Shikong de Huhuan” by Zhang Jiarui, according to Chinese website Mtime. Actor Wu Jing – whose “Wolf Warrior II” and “Wandering Earth” are the top two earning films in Chinese film history – will be the festival’s ambassador.
Fifteen films from around the world will vie for the Golden Goblet Award in the main competition. Notable among them are “Many Happy Returns,” a new title directed by Germany-based Uruguayan filmmaker Carlos Morelli and produced by Germany’s Weydemann Brothers, and “Chicuarotes,” Gael Garcia...
The government-affiliated festival, which runs June 15-24, will open with the premieres of two Chinese films: Huayi Bros.’ patriotic World War II epic “The Eight Hundred,” directed by Guan Hu, and “Chuanyue Shikong de Huhuan” by Zhang Jiarui, according to Chinese website Mtime. Actor Wu Jing – whose “Wolf Warrior II” and “Wandering Earth” are the top two earning films in Chinese film history – will be the festival’s ambassador.
Fifteen films from around the world will vie for the Golden Goblet Award in the main competition. Notable among them are “Many Happy Returns,” a new title directed by Germany-based Uruguayan filmmaker Carlos Morelli and produced by Germany’s Weydemann Brothers, and “Chicuarotes,” Gael Garcia...
- 6/4/2019
- by Rebecca Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Has picked up international rights.
Japan’s ColorBird Inc has picked up international rights to Tatsushi Omori’s Taro The Fool (working title), starring hot Japanese Instragram influencer Yoshi.
Yoshi plays a 15-year-old boy who has never been to school and, left to his own devices, starts hanging out with two slightly older teenage boys. The disaffected trio try to change their lives but end up becoming involved with local gangsters.
Discovered by Us fashion designer Virgil Abloh, Yoshi has modelled for Abloh’s Off-White street fashion brand, as well as Nike and Helmut Lang.
Currently in post-production, Taro The...
Japan’s ColorBird Inc has picked up international rights to Tatsushi Omori’s Taro The Fool (working title), starring hot Japanese Instragram influencer Yoshi.
Yoshi plays a 15-year-old boy who has never been to school and, left to his own devices, starts hanging out with two slightly older teenage boys. The disaffected trio try to change their lives but end up becoming involved with local gangsters.
Discovered by Us fashion designer Virgil Abloh, Yoshi has modelled for Abloh’s Off-White street fashion brand, as well as Nike and Helmut Lang.
Currently in post-production, Taro The...
- 2/10/2019
- by Liz Shackleton
- ScreenDaily
Rikiya Imaizumi – born in Fukushima in 1981, Imaizumi made his directional debut with ‘The Movie of Tama’ (2010), a music documentary. ‘Catch a Terrible Cat’ (2012) was screened at several international film festivals. ‘Sad Tea’ (2013), with its complicated love relationships, received much attention. His other feature films include ‘Sister Game’ (2014), ‘Their Distance’ (2015), ‘Same Old, Same Old’ (2016), and ‘Our Blue Moment’ (2017). In the interview, Imaizumi continues his eternal pursuit of love.
‘Just Only Love’ – based on the novel by Mitsuya Kakuta under the same title. Teruko, a 28-year old working woman, is smitten by Mamoru, devoting her life to him. It is a one-sided love affair, with Mamoru feeling nothing for her. Teruko’s love is completely blind, but finally she makes one unexpected decision. The film thoroughly examines the comical and heart-rending nature of one-sided love.
The interview was conducted during the 31st Tokyo International Film Festival. The author wants to express sincere...
‘Just Only Love’ – based on the novel by Mitsuya Kakuta under the same title. Teruko, a 28-year old working woman, is smitten by Mamoru, devoting her life to him. It is a one-sided love affair, with Mamoru feeling nothing for her. Teruko’s love is completely blind, but finally she makes one unexpected decision. The film thoroughly examines the comical and heart-rending nature of one-sided love.
The interview was conducted during the 31st Tokyo International Film Festival. The author wants to express sincere...
- 11/22/2018
- by Nikodem Karolak
- AsianMoviePulse
Steady as the beating drums of Drum Tao band whose members proved to be as fast as the lightning storm they brewed at the opening ceremony held in X-Theatre, Tokyo International Tokyo International Film Festival 2018 has to offer one of the most enlightened and enriched programs (almost 200 films beeing screened) ever conceived in its long run of 31 years history.
‘We find ourselves in the rapidly expanding era of digitalization and globalization, but at the same time we must not forget about the true values of film entertainment’ – with these words Mr. Hirai Takuya, Minister of State for “Cool Japan” Strategy and Intellectual Property, opened his speech at the Opening Ceremony.
Soon after, Mr. Ryohei Mirata – Commissioner for Cultural Affairs echoed his words by citing Ken Takakura who once said that movies are beyond borders and languages, they have the power to transform living sadness into hope and courage. ‘We have...
‘We find ourselves in the rapidly expanding era of digitalization and globalization, but at the same time we must not forget about the true values of film entertainment’ – with these words Mr. Hirai Takuya, Minister of State for “Cool Japan” Strategy and Intellectual Property, opened his speech at the Opening Ceremony.
Soon after, Mr. Ryohei Mirata – Commissioner for Cultural Affairs echoed his words by citing Ken Takakura who once said that movies are beyond borders and languages, they have the power to transform living sadness into hope and courage. ‘We have...
- 10/30/2018
- by Nikodem Karolak
- AsianMoviePulse
The Tiffcom market, a sales event adjacent to the Tokyo International Film Festival, always includes the latest film launches from Japan. This year the selection is especially varied and rich. Arranged by sales company, highlights include:
Kadokawa
“Chiwawa”
Scripted and directed by Ken Ninomiya, this mystery about a 20-year-old Instagram star who ends up dead in Tokyo Bay, is based on a popular comic. It features a cast that includes the internationally known Chiaki Kuriyama (“Kill Bill”) and Tadanobu Asano (“The Third Murder”).
“Hard-Core”
Festival favorite, Nobuhiro Yamashita has adapted a cult hit comic about a pair of misfits who are inseparable friends. They encounter a retro-looking robot with astonishing powers, and together embark on a bizarre hunt for long-buried treasure.
“The Antique: Secret of the Old Books”
Yukiko Mishima, director of the acclaimed 2017 drama “Dear Etranger,” has returned with a literary mystery, based on En Mikami’s best-selling novel.
Kadokawa
“Chiwawa”
Scripted and directed by Ken Ninomiya, this mystery about a 20-year-old Instagram star who ends up dead in Tokyo Bay, is based on a popular comic. It features a cast that includes the internationally known Chiaki Kuriyama (“Kill Bill”) and Tadanobu Asano (“The Third Murder”).
“Hard-Core”
Festival favorite, Nobuhiro Yamashita has adapted a cult hit comic about a pair of misfits who are inseparable friends. They encounter a retro-looking robot with astonishing powers, and together embark on a bizarre hunt for long-buried treasure.
“The Antique: Secret of the Old Books”
Yukiko Mishima, director of the acclaimed 2017 drama “Dear Etranger,” has returned with a literary mystery, based on En Mikami’s best-selling novel.
- 10/23/2018
- by Mark Schilling
- Variety Film + TV
Total of 16 titles set for this year’s Competition line-up.
Tokyo International Film Festival has announced the 16 titles that will compete in its International Competition, including the world premieres of His Master’s Voice, from Hungary’s Gyorgy Palfi, Fruit Chan’s Three Husbands, Veit Helmer’s The Bra and Liu Hao’s The Poet.
Tiff’s competition line-up will also include the world premieres of two Japanese titles – Junji Sakamoto’s Another World and Rikiya Imaizumi’s Just Only Love (see full line-up below).
Leading Philippines filmmaker Brillante Ma Mendoza is heading this year’s Competition jury, which also comprises Us producer Bryan Burk,...
Tokyo International Film Festival has announced the 16 titles that will compete in its International Competition, including the world premieres of His Master’s Voice, from Hungary’s Gyorgy Palfi, Fruit Chan’s Three Husbands, Veit Helmer’s The Bra and Liu Hao’s The Poet.
Tiff’s competition line-up will also include the world premieres of two Japanese titles – Junji Sakamoto’s Another World and Rikiya Imaizumi’s Just Only Love (see full line-up below).
Leading Philippines filmmaker Brillante Ma Mendoza is heading this year’s Competition jury, which also comprises Us producer Bryan Burk,...
- 9/25/2018
- by Liz Shackleton
- ScreenDaily
Two Japanese films have been selected for the main competition at the 31st Tokyo International Film Festival (Tiff) next month.
Junji Sakamoto's Another World is the story of three old friends facing life as they head toward their forties.
Of the film, competition programming director Yoshi Yatabe said it "humanely depicts the life-affirming drama of a married couple."
Meanwhile, Rikiya Imaizumi's Just Only Love is a tale of one-sided devotion based on a novel by Mitsuyo Kakuta.
"Imaizumi's filmmaking has been enriched with the new perspective of a female author. Yukino Kishii, who is full of coquettish ...
Junji Sakamoto's Another World is the story of three old friends facing life as they head toward their forties.
Of the film, competition programming director Yoshi Yatabe said it "humanely depicts the life-affirming drama of a married couple."
Meanwhile, Rikiya Imaizumi's Just Only Love is a tale of one-sided devotion based on a novel by Mitsuyo Kakuta.
"Imaizumi's filmmaking has been enriched with the new perspective of a female author. Yukino Kishii, who is full of coquettish ...
- 9/21/2018
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Two Japanese films have been selected for the main competition at the 31st Tokyo International Film Festival (Tiff) next month.
Junji Sakamoto's Another World is the story of three old friends facing life as they head toward their forties.
Of the film, competition programming director Yoshi Yatabe said it "humanely depicts the life-affirming drama of a married couple."
Meanwhile, Rikiya Imaizumi's Just Only Love is a tale of one-sided devotion based on a novel by Mitsuyo Kakuta.
"Imaizumi's filmmaking has been enriched with the new perspective of a female author. Yukino Kishii, who is full of coquettish ...
Junji Sakamoto's Another World is the story of three old friends facing life as they head toward their forties.
Of the film, competition programming director Yoshi Yatabe said it "humanely depicts the life-affirming drama of a married couple."
Meanwhile, Rikiya Imaizumi's Just Only Love is a tale of one-sided devotion based on a novel by Mitsuyo Kakuta.
"Imaizumi's filmmaking has been enriched with the new perspective of a female author. Yukino Kishii, who is full of coquettish ...
- 9/21/2018
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Two Japanese films, “Another World” and “Just Only Love” have been selected for the main competition section at next month’s Tokyo International Film Festival. “Both these films represent inspired Japanese film making,” said competition programmer Yoshi Yatabe.
Directed by Junji Sakamoto, “Another World” is a life-affirming drama about the friendship of three old friends and a married couple. The main character, in particular, has difficulty relating to family matters. The cast includes Goro Inagaki and Chizuru Ikewaki.
Tangled loves and obsession are the main strands of “Just Only Love,” directed by Rikiya Imaizumi, a filmmaker who has made a career from romantic dramedies. “Just Only Love” is adapted from a novel by female writer Mitsuyo Kakuta.
Organizers previously announced that the festival will open with Bradley Cooper’s Lady Gaga-starring “A Star is Born.” It will close with “Godzilla: The Planet Eater.” Co-directed by Kobun Shizuno and Hiroyuki Seshita,...
Directed by Junji Sakamoto, “Another World” is a life-affirming drama about the friendship of three old friends and a married couple. The main character, in particular, has difficulty relating to family matters. The cast includes Goro Inagaki and Chizuru Ikewaki.
Tangled loves and obsession are the main strands of “Just Only Love,” directed by Rikiya Imaizumi, a filmmaker who has made a career from romantic dramedies. “Just Only Love” is adapted from a novel by female writer Mitsuyo Kakuta.
Organizers previously announced that the festival will open with Bradley Cooper’s Lady Gaga-starring “A Star is Born.” It will close with “Godzilla: The Planet Eater.” Co-directed by Kobun Shizuno and Hiroyuki Seshita,...
- 9/21/2018
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Competition section features six world premieres including titles from Koji Fukada and Yoshihiro Nakamura.
The 28th Tokyo International Film Festival (October 22-31) has unveiled its line-up with six world premieres in the Competition section, including Turkish director Mustafa Kara’s Cold Of Kalandar, Hao Jie’s My Original Dream and Thai film-maker Kongdej Jaturanrasmee’s Snap.
Also world-premiering in Competition are three Japanese titles: Kohei Oguri’s Foujita, Yoshihiro Nakamura’s The Inerasable and Koji Fukada’s Sayonara – the most local films in the main section since 2004.
The other selections are either Asian or international premieres. The topics of war or refugeeism are a common thread among some films, echoing current day headlines. “We were not conscious about choosing those types, it just happened that way and we noticed afterwards,” said Competition programming director Yoshi Yatabe.
“As much as possible we’d like to cover a wide range of geographical areas and genres,” he said of...
The 28th Tokyo International Film Festival (October 22-31) has unveiled its line-up with six world premieres in the Competition section, including Turkish director Mustafa Kara’s Cold Of Kalandar, Hao Jie’s My Original Dream and Thai film-maker Kongdej Jaturanrasmee’s Snap.
Also world-premiering in Competition are three Japanese titles: Kohei Oguri’s Foujita, Yoshihiro Nakamura’s The Inerasable and Koji Fukada’s Sayonara – the most local films in the main section since 2004.
The other selections are either Asian or international premieres. The topics of war or refugeeism are a common thread among some films, echoing current day headlines. “We were not conscious about choosing those types, it just happened that way and we noticed afterwards,” said Competition programming director Yoshi Yatabe.
“As much as possible we’d like to cover a wide range of geographical areas and genres,” he said of...
- 9/29/2015
- ScreenDaily
Competition section features six world premieres including titles from Koji Fukada and Yoshihiro Nakamura.
The 28th Tokyo International Film Festival (October 22-31) has unveiled its line-up with six world premieres in the Competition section, including Turkish director Mustafa Kara’s Cold Of Kalandar, Hao Jie’s My Original Dream and Thai film-maker Kongdej Jaturanrasmee’s Snap.
Also world-premiering in Competition are three Japanese titles: Kohei Oguri’s Foujita, Yoshihiro Nakamura’s The Inerasable and Koji Fukada’s Sayonara – the most local films in the main section since 2004.
The other selections are either Asian or international premieres. The topics of war or refugeeism are a common thread among some films, echoing current day headlines. “We were not conscious about choosing those types, it just happened that way and we noticed afterwards,” said Competition programming director Yoshi Yatabe.
“As much as possible we’d like to cover a wide range of geographical areas and genres,” he said of...
The 28th Tokyo International Film Festival (October 22-31) has unveiled its line-up with six world premieres in the Competition section, including Turkish director Mustafa Kara’s Cold Of Kalandar, Hao Jie’s My Original Dream and Thai film-maker Kongdej Jaturanrasmee’s Snap.
Also world-premiering in Competition are three Japanese titles: Kohei Oguri’s Foujita, Yoshihiro Nakamura’s The Inerasable and Koji Fukada’s Sayonara – the most local films in the main section since 2004.
The other selections are either Asian or international premieres. The topics of war or refugeeism are a common thread among some films, echoing current day headlines. “We were not conscious about choosing those types, it just happened that way and we noticed afterwards,” said Competition programming director Yoshi Yatabe.
“As much as possible we’d like to cover a wide range of geographical areas and genres,” he said of...
- 9/29/2015
- ScreenDaily
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