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The program of the 25th Nippon Connection Film Festival is complete! From May 27 to June 1, the world’s largest platform for Japanese film will be celebrating its 25th anniversary in Frankfurt am Main, offering six days of immersion in Japan’s film and cultural scene. Around 100 short and feature-length films will be screened at ten venues, including 67 premieres of current Japanese films. In addition, over 60 filmmakers and artists from Japan will travel to Frankfurt am Main to present their works to the public. Around 70 cultural events and a free Japanese market with various food and craft stalls round off the program. Detailed information and tickets for all films and events are available at NipponConnection.com.

This year’s film selection presents a diverse cross-section of current Japanese cinema. The Nippon Connection Film Festival will open on May 27 at 7:00 p.m. at the Künstler*innenhaus Mousonturm with Tetsu Maeda’s comedy 90 Years Old – So What?...

Years before his critically acclaimed role in FX's Shogun, Hiroyuki Sanada starred in the 2013 war film, The Railway Man. It will be streaming on Prime Video starting March 13.

The rest of The Railway Man's cast included Colin Firth, Nicole Kidman, Jeremy Irvine and Stellan Skarsgård. Firth stars as Eric Lomax, a former British army officer and prisoner of war, who discovers that the Japanese interpreter who tortured him during World War II is actually still alive. Lomax and his wife, Patricia (Kidman), travel to Thailand to confront the man (Sanada). The Railway Man was an adaptation of Lomax's 1995 autobiography of the same name.

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Critical reception of The Railway Man was mostly positive. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the movie...

Anna Sawai, star of FX's award-winning historical drama Shōgun, has responded to rumors she's attached to play Yoko Ono in a series of four Beatles biopics directed by Sam Mendes. The actress told reporters at the Screen Actor's Guild Awards following her winning outstanding performance by an actress in a drama series, "I think a rumor is just a rumor." So we likely won't be seeing Sawai as Ono anytime soon.

As far as what her next project might be, Sawai says she is still looking. "I'm still trying to figure out what I want to do, so I'm reading a lot of scripts. I'm also doing a lot of meetings and I just want to make sure that what I’m choosing is the right thing. So it might take time for me to find the right project, but I'm trying to be selective so that I can...

Shogun is picking up some major wins at the SAG Awards. These mark the latest of many accolades acquired by the hit FX series following its debut last year.

The SAG Awards were held on Feb. 23 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California. Multiple major awards were picked up by Shogun at the event. This includes series star Anna Sawai winning for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series for her role as Toda Mariko. She overcame fellow nominees Kathy Bates (Matlock), Nicola Coughlan (Bridgerton), Allison Janney (The Diplomat), and Keri Russell (The Diplomat).

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Hiryouki Sanada also won Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series with his role as Lord Yoshii Toranaga. Tadanobu Asano...

Jerry London, the director of NBC's 1980 Shogun miniseries, has slammed the 2024 FX show of the same name. In a recent interview, London called the show 'not entertaining' for American audiences.

London's 1980 historical miniseries was also based on James Clavell's Shogun novel, and it received positive reviews and several awards, including the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Limited Series, the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series (Drama) and a Peabody Award in 1981. In 2024, FX produced a new adaptation of Clavell's novel which has been enjoying similar success, nabbing 18 Emmy Awards and becoming the most awarded single season of television in Emmy history.

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While many critics may be enjoying FX's take on Shogun, London...

FX's historical drama Shogun has received an exciting update for its second season after dominating the Critics' Choice Awards. The show won an impressive four of its six nominations, including Best Drama Series.

Shogun series creators Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks spoke with Deadline backstage at the awards ceremony about where the show will be headed in a new season. Hiroyuki Sanada, who plays Lord Yoshii Toranaga, expressed his hopes for his character, saying, "In Season 1, [Toranaga] didn’t become a Shōgun yet. So, I’d like to see him become the leader of Japan. That is my hope."

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According to Marks, Shogun's creators are very excited about what the future has in store in Seasons 2 and...

After winning an unprecedented number of Emmys and breaking streaming records with 9 million views in its debut week, it's unsurprising that Shōgun will now get a second and third season, despite previous statements saying that it would be a one-and-done limited event series. However, with new seasons in store for viewers following a phenomenal first season, there also comes the immense pressures and expectations to deliver a follow-up that is just as good, if not better. As an exclusive interview with Collider has revealed, things are moving forward, albeit very slowly, for Shōgun Season 2.

Hiroyuki Sanada, who plays the main character Yoshii Toranaga and is also a producer on the series, shared a brief update on the upcoming continuation. Sanada would suggest that the scripts may have some impact on when shooting would begin, but remained optimistic about a Fall 2025 start date, saying:

"Since we decided to make Season 2 and...

Anna Sawai may have just found her next big role. After standing out as a fan favorite in the TV shows Shogun and Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, Sawai may next be playing the widow of music legend John Lennon.

Per film scooper Jeff Sneider of The InSneider, Sawai is currently being eyed to play Yoko Ono in the upcoming Beatles biopics from filmmaker Sam Mendes. Each member of The Beatles will be given his own biopic, though all four will be connected, essentially forming their own cinematic universe. Sawai's casting hasn't been officially announced, though she's not the only person whose name has come up in the rumor mill as being attached to a major role in the quadrilogy.

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Maybe no TV show in the last year has seen as much effusive praise as Hulu and FX’s Shogun. The historical drama series, based on the 1975 novel of the same name by James Clavell, has widely been called one of 2024’s best, on top of breaking the record as the most awarded season in Emmy history, with eighteen total wins. And against all odds, it actually lives up to the hype; the first season of Shogun is one of the medium’s most enthralling works in recent memory, spinning a web of political intrigue but delicately balancing it with action, scope, and heartbreak. It’s exhilarating from the first episode to the last.

Even in a post-Game of Thrones world (though the two shows couldn't be more different), the production values are to die for, showcasing a visual flair, scale, and period-specific detail that puts most modern blockbusters to shame.

While Hollywood celebrated the Emmy Awards last month, Japanese director Takeshi Fukunaga was documenting a culturally significant ritual among Japan’s indigenous Ainu people. Fukunaga filmed a rare Ainu bear ceremony being performed for the first time in decades in a remote Hokkaido village. Though known for directing episodes of FX’s “Shogun” and Hulu’s “Tokyo Vice,” Fukunaga remains committed to telling intimate stories through independent films.

His latest project, the documentary “Ainu Ways,” focuses on efforts to revive traditional Ainu salmon fishing. The film profiles Shigeki Amanai, who has worked over ten years to pass Ainu fishing methods to new generations. It also explores the history of Ainu lands, language, and rights following Japan’s annexation of Hokkaido in 1869. Through Amanai’s story, Fukunaga shows how Ainu culture has endured despite struggles over territory and loss of traditions.

Despite growing up in Hokkaido, Fukunaga was unaware of the Ainu as a child.

As Shogun was bathing in the glory of its record 18 wins at the Emmy Awards ceremony at Los Angeles’ Peacock Theater in September, Japanese director Takeshi Fukunaga was caked in mud and sweat in a small village on Hokkaido. He was there with a tiny crew to shoot a bear ritual of the indigenous Ainu people of Japan’s northernmost islands that was being performed for the first time in decades.

Fukunaga plans to use the footage for a follow-up to his documentary Ainu Puri, which translates as “Ainu ways” in English, that is screening at this year’s Tokyo International Film Festival. Both the current doc and the new project are far removed from the huge budgets and large-scale productions he experienced on FX’s Shogun and Max’s Tokyo Vice as the only Japan-born director to helm episodes on both acclaimed series. Fukunaga seems to move largely frictionless between the two worlds,...

When he is not directing episodes for series like “Tokyo Vice” and “Shogun”, Takeshi Fukunaga usually deals with the Ainu. After “Ainu Mosir” back in 2020, he has come up with a documentary this time, which takes an approach that frequently looks like that of a feature film. The title of the movie represents the cultural and spiritual practices, the daily activities, and the moral principles that guide the Ainu lifestyle, emphasizing respect for nature, spiritual beliefs, and communal living. This concept is central to the identity and heritage of the Ainu people.

Ainu Puri is screening at Busan International Film Festival

The film begins with Shigeki, an indigenous Ainu from Shiranuka, Hokkaido, going Marek fishing with his 10-year-old son Motoki. As we hear him talk about the fact that the Ainu believe gods exist in every thing, we see him exhibiting and teaching to his son, the rituals involved in...

“Shōgun” is officially in the drama race for the Primetime Emmys.

FX has confirmed that the once limited or anthology series heavyweight has been officially submitted and accepted in the drama categories, where it will compete against Netflix’s “The Crown,” Apple’s “The Morning Show” and Prime Video’s “Fallout.” In addition, the network has shared exclusively with Variety the complete list of 40 Emmy submissions, which includes six submissions for directing, four for writing, and two eligible guest actors. HBO’s “Game of Thrones” currently holds the record for most nominations in a single year with 32. Could FX break the monumental record?

Following the announcement that FX, Hulu, and the estate of James Clavell — who authored the novel — are working on developing more seasons of the critically acclaimed series, “Shōgun” is now officially eligible to compete in the drama races after being commissioned as limited. The move puts the...

Exclusive: Rising star talent rep Sam Masaru Sekoff has joined Entertainment 360 as a manager in the literary department.

He joins from Range Media Partners where he had been since 2021. Sekoff first got his start at The Gersh Agency where he rose to agent in the television department. His clients include Paul Downs Colaizzo, Sebastian Silva, Nick Lieberman, Takeshi Fukunaga, Rachel Lambert, Phillip Youmans, Ava Coleman, Elise Brown, Adel Kamal and Blaize Ali-Watkins.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Sam to 360,” said the 360 partners in a statement. “He has a sharp eye for talent and we respect his tenacious advocacy on behalf of clients. He’s hit the ground running and quickly become an essential member of the team.”...

The American Film Market kicks off Oct. 31 and runs through Nov. 5 in its new headquarters at the Le Meridien Delfina in Santa Monica. Industry screenings are set at theaters throughout the city and AFM’s conference series, the AFM Sessions, will take place at the Hilton Santa Monica Hotel. More than 245 companies and organizations are exhibiting at this year’s AFM, with national pavilions from China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Thailand and the U.K. In all, buyers from more than 65 countries are registered at the film market.

Here are some of the buzziest titles at AFM 2023:

Alphas

Director: Liam O’Donnell

Producers: Pierre Morel, Renee Tab, Christopher Tuffin, Matthew Chausse, Drew Bailey

Key cast: Martin Henderson

Story is set in a quiet surfing community where killer whales are enlisted to fend off great white sharks after a series of attacks. When the alpha great white shark proves too powerful to stop,...

Despite this one being a mediocre season for Asian cinema, Nyaff still managed to include a number of gems in its huge program, once more justifying its place as the biggest festival of Asian cinema in the Western world. With an obvious focus on titles by and about women, the programmers offered a diverse selection that included the whole spectrum of genre films from the whole region, while also of note was the inclusion of a plethora of shorts, both live-action and animation. Japanese and Korean (family) dramas, action and horror from Asean countries, while the Chinese mainland cinema highlighted a couple of captivating stories. Comedies are still a mixed-bag, at least for the Western audience, but some progress is also evident in that category also. Without further ado, here is a list of this year's coverage of New York Asian Film Festival

You can read the full reviews by...

Takeshi Fukunaga has proven himself to be one of Japan's most exciting directors in recent years, receiving accolades for both “Out of My Hand” (2015) and “Ainu Mosir” (2020). His latest project, “Mountain Woman”, marks the director's first-period piece, as he takes us back to 18th-century Tohoku. A tale of famine, strife, and survival, the film is a sensitive and uncompromising meditation on finding oneness and liberation.

Mountain Woman is screening at Nippon Connection

In a rural village in feudal Japan, a poor harvest has yielded a dire famine. Rin (Anna Yamada) and her family are at the bottom of the food chain, outcast by their fellow villagers on account of a past crime. When tensions come to a head, and Rin's father, Ihei (Masatoshi Nagase), finds himself in trouble, she is driven away from the village and into the nearby Mount Hayachine, a place to which the spirits of the dead are said to ascend.

Late 18th century, Tohoku. An outcast girl, Rin lives in a village suffering from famine. She draws strength from Mt. Hayachine, where the spirits of humans ascend after passing. (Source: Tokyo International Film Festival)

Directed by Takeshi Fukunaga (Out of My Hand), this movie premiered on October 25, 2022 at the Tokyo International Film Festival. It stars Anna Yamada, Mirai Moriyama and Masatoshi Nagase. Theatrical release in Japan is scheduled for June 30, 2023.

Ava DuVernay’s Array Releasing has partnered with JetBlue on an exclusive in-flight pop-up channel, offering a curated selection of 12 independent features from artists of color and women directors.

The films will be accompanied by a special video introduction from DuVernay, debuting across select JetBlue aircraft on December 1. The in-flight partnership is the first for Array, which has acquired and distributed more than 40 independent features since 2011.

“Over the years, I’ve experienced transformative moments by watching films while flying. Something about the intimacy of being in the air as stories unfold has always appealed to me,” shared DuVernay. “We launched Array Releasing in 2011 as a way to connect audiences with indie cinema made by underrepresented filmmakers. Our hope is that JetBlue travelers will sit back and enjoy the magic of these films, exploring new visions and new voices while in the majesty of mid-air.”

“We are thrilled to take Array...

Click here to read the full article.

Indie filmmakers who are women and directors from the global majority will now have access to a new level of audience — literally.

Ava DuVernay’s distribution vehicle Array Releasing has partnered with JetBlue to launch a pop-up in-flight channel that will screen a dozen Array features.

“Over the years, I’ve experienced transformative moments by watching films while flying. Something about the intimacy of being in the air as stories unfold has always appealed to me,” DuVernay said in a statement. “We launched Array Releasing in 2011 as a way to connect audiences with indie cinema made by underrepresented filmmakers. Our hope is that JetBlue travelers will sit back and enjoy the magic of these films, exploring new visions and new voices while in the majesty of mid-air.”

Available starting today Thursday, each film will be preceded by a short video featuring DuVernay giving...

Click here to read the full article.

At the close of the 18th century, a long and devastating famine swept across the Tohoku region of northeastern Japan. The cause was a volcano eruption, followed by several years of catastrophically bad weather. The result was close to a million deaths from starvation.

Such is the setting for Mountain Woman, a bleak period drama from writer-director Takeshi Fukunaga that uses the famine as a backdrop to depict one young woman’s harrowing quest for survival. Beautifully shot by cinematographer Daniel Satinoff (who worked on the HBO Max series Tokyo Vice), the film has its moments of haunting visual poetry, but tends to get weighed down by a lumbering plot and a fair amount of pathos.

Fukunaga broke through in the U.S. in 2015 with his debut, Out of My Hand, which was nominated for an Independent Spirit award and was released by Ava DuVernay’s Array label.

Click here to read the full article.

With his atmospheric period feature Mountain Woman (Yama Onna) in competition at the Tokyo International Film Festival, and the only Japanese director helming an episode of FX’s upcoming Shōgun remake, Takeshi Fukunaga looks well on the way to fulfilling the promise suggested by his feature debut, Out of My Hand.

Released in 2015, Out of My Hand followed a Liberian migrant’s journey to New York, used mostly non-actors, and won plaudits at festivals from Berlin to Los Angeles. A distinctly untypical first feature for a Japanese filmmaker, Out of My Hand marked Fukunaga as someone to watch.

The film, however, makes slightly more sense in the context of Fukunaga having learned his craft in the U.S., spending more than a decade in New York — taking a film production course at Brooklyn College – after a two-year stint studying in Minnesota.

“I studied filmmaking there,...

Exclusive: Ava DuVernay’s Array Releasing has acquired Ivan Herrera’s drama Bantú Mama for distribution in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. The company will be presenting the film — which has been named as the Dominican Republic’s 2023 entry for the Best International Feature Film Oscar — on select screens and on Netflix beginning November 17.

Bantú Mama follows a French woman of African descent who manages to escape after being arrested in the Dominican Republic. She finds shelter in the most dangerous district of Santo Domingo, where she is taken in by a group of children. By becoming their protégée and maternal figure, she then experiences an unimaginable change in her destiny.

“We are honored to distribute the Dominican Republic’s official Oscar submission,” said Array President Tilane Jones. “This deeply moving and vividly drawn drama, beautifully directed by Ivan Herrera and co-written with producer Clarisse Albrecht,...

Array Releasing, the distribution arm of Ava DuVernay’s Peabody Award-winning narrative change collective, has picked up rights to the feature drama Learn to Swim for the U.S., the UK, Australia and New Zealand, slating it for release on select screens and on Netflix on August 15.

The first feature from director Thyrone Tommy dives into the world of contemporary jazz with a musical meditation on love and loss, following the doggedly private and talented saxophone player Dezi (Thomas Antony Olajide) and a vivacious, but less experienced singer named Selma (Emma Ferreira). When the two meet, sparks fly, but their respective emotional baggage and temperaments make the road to romance bumpy at best.

An official selection of the 2021 Toronto Film Festival, Learn to Swim was written by Tommy and Marni Van Dyk, with Alona Metzer producing.

“With Array Releasing’s summer acquisition of Learn To Swim, we are thrilled to...

Theatre

The U.K.’s National Theatre has revealed a robust return to normal programming services with a host of plays and films scheduled through 2022, as the country limps back to normalcy post-pandemic.

Highlights include National Theatre director Rufus Norris’ new musical “Hex,” based on “Sleeping Beauty” which opens this Christmas in the Olivier Theatre, and The Lyttelton Theatre’s reopening in October with Ayub Khan Din’s “East Is East.” Anupama Chandrasekhar’s “The Father and the Assassin,” about Gandhi and his assassin, opens at the property’s Olivier Theatre in early 2022.

There are returns to Broadway for the acclaimed “The Lehman Trilogy” and tours across the U.K. and Ireland for “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” and “The Ocean at the End of the Lane.”

Clint Dyer directs and co-writes “Death of England: Face to Face” with Roy Williams, an original feature film from the Lyttelton Theatre,...

Consider your Mother’s Day viewing plans sorted. Hitting select theaters and streaming on Netflix staring Thursday, May 6 is Shantrelle P. Lewis’ feature directorial debut “In Our Mothers’ Gardens,” a loving, insightful, and inspirational look at the relationships between mothers and daughters. The documentary had its world premiere at the 2020 BlackStar Film Festival, winning the Shine Award for Best Film.

Last month, Ava DuVernay’s Array Releasing picked up the film as part of its growing selection of films focused on films by people of color and women. Array’s president Tilane Jones explained the documentary’s obvious appeal in an official statement: “‘In Our Mothers’ Gardens’ is a beautiful tribute to the complex relationships between Black women connected by lineage and love. Released in celebration of Mother’s Day, we are honored to present Ms. Lewis’ feature debut highlighting important bonds between daughters, mothers and grandmothers told by a dynamic group of women.

The Ainu are an East Asian ethnic group indigenous to northern Japan, the original inhabitants of Hokkaido and some of its nearby Russian territories. A number of those who have not been fully assimilated as Japanese are living in small communities such as the one in Hokkaido the movie focuses on, essentially surviving through tourism. It is also worth noting that there has been a rise of interest towards these marginalized communities thorough “Golden Kamuy” a multi-awarded manga that focuses on Ainu people and has already sold more than 18 million copies and spawned three seasons of the homonymous anime. “Ainu Mosir” takes a much more grounded approach to the issue by focusing on a coming of age story.

Ainu Mosir is screening at Helsinki Cine Aasia

The young boy in question is 14-year-old Kanto, a descendant of Japan’s indigenous people, who has just lost his father and is feeling...

Array Releasing has acquired the documentary “In Our Mothers’ Gardens,” which marks filmmaker Shantrelle P. Lewis’ directorial debut.

Array president Tilane Jones announced the acquisition on Thursday, along with news that the film will be released in select theaters and begin streaming on Netflix on May 6.

“’In Our Mothers’ Gardens’ is a beautiful tribute to the complex relationships between Black women connected by lineage and love,” Jones said in a statement. “Released in celebration of Mother’s Day, we are honored to present Ms. Lewis’ feature debut highlighting important bonds between daughters, mothers and grandmothers told by a dynamic group of women.”

The documentary debuted at the 2020 BlackStar Film Festival and subsequently earned the Shine Award for best film. The movie features interviews with #MeToo founder Tarana Burke; Tina Farris (tour manager for talent including The Roots and Chris Rock); cultural critic Dr. Brittney Cooper (Rutgers University); Rev. Dr. Theresa S.

Ava DuVernay’s Array Releasing has acquired the documentary In Our Mothers’ Gardens, the feature film debut of director, curator, and author Shantrelle P. Lewis. The film is set to debut theatrically in select cities and on Netflix starting fittingly on Mother’s Day, May 6.

In Our Mothers’ Gardens celebrates the strength and resiliency of Black women and Black families through the complex, and often times humorous, relationship between mothers and daughters. The film pays homage to Black maternal ancestors while examining the immediate and critical importance of self-care, and the healing tools necessary for Black communities to thrive.

The film features a variety of interviews from #MeToo founder Tarana Burke; The Roots and Chris Rock tour manager Tina Farris; cultural critic Dr. Brittney Cooper of Rutgers University; Rev. Dr. Theresa S. Thames of Princeton University; holistic lifestyle maven Latham Thomas; photographer Adama Delphine Fawundu and NPR’s Senior Director for Programming Yolanda Sangweni.

This year, the leading Berlinale initiative is welcoming 205 Talents who are keen to dream and collaborate. The 19th edition of Berlinale Talents has published its “dreamy” programme and aims to retain its encounter-led character for this online version. Under this year’s theme of “dreams”, the summit, which runs during the European Film Market (1-5 March), is inviting 205 film professionals to collaborate, share solidarity and explore the collectivity of new visions as a source of courage in the face of the pandemic, but also as a way out of it. This time, the Berlinale Talents will have a chance to meet a number of prominent guests in the virtual “sDream”, including Céline Sciamma, whose Petite Maman is in the 2021 Competition; Thai auteur Apichatpong Weerasethakul (Cemetery of Splendour); and American filmmaker Ava DuVernay (Selma). The latter will be in conversation with Array and Berlinale filmmakers Takeshi Fukunaga, Hepi Mita...

Some 780 films will be screened at the virtual EFM, up from 732 in 2020.

The European Film Market (March 1-5) has released initial figures for its upcoming online-only event, which reveal almost 200 companies are set to make their EFM debut.

More than 470 companies and organisations from almost 60 countries have registered for the EFM’s first virtual market, while 780 films are being lined up for market screenings, up from 732 films in 2020.

This compares with the 564 exhibitors who participated in the physical 2020 event.

New EFM director Dennis Ruh said the numbers “reinforce the decision to go forward with the unusual format in an unusual...

With a seemingly endless amount of streaming options—not only the titles at our disposal, but services themselves–each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit platforms. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.

30 Years of The Film Foundation

Equally impressive as his towering career is Martin Scorsese’s dedication to restoring previously lost classics and championing underseen gems with The Film Foundation. Now celebrating 30 years, they’ve been given the spotlight on The Criterion Channel, featuring a wealth of highlights as well as a conversation between Scorsese and Ari Aster. The lineup of essentials includes The Broken Butterfly (1919), Trouble in Paradise (1932), It Happened One Night (1934), L’Atalante (1934), The Long Voyage Home (1940) The Chase (1946), The Red Shoes (1948), The River (1951), Moulin Rouge (1952), The Bigamist (1953), Ugetsu (1953), Senso (1954), The Big Country (1958), Shadows (1959), The Cloud-Capped Star (1960), Primary (1960), The Connection (1961), Salvatore Giuliano (1962), The Masque of the Red Death (1964), Once Upon a Time in the West...

Ava DuVernay’s release imprint, Array, has become a distributor to watch over recent years, curating acquisitions that are not only under-the-radar but feel reflective of a hyper-specific perspective. This year, their output has included Lingua Franca and Residue, and Takeshi Fukunaga’s Ainu Mosir looks like it could continue their strong record.

Set in a northern Japanese Indigenous community whose financial lifeblood is preserving and performing ancient traditions, the film is a coming-of-age story about the 14-year-old Kanto (Kanto Shimokura) who just lost his father and is taken under the tutelage of a family friend, Debo (Debo Akibe), who teaches him these rituals.

The newly released trailer shows a teen caught between his peers who idolize more current ideas and his heritage, which is not without its own thorny internal conflicts within the community.

We reviewed the film out of Tribeca positively, saying, “A sensitive and nuanced portrait of modernity at odds with tradition,...

"A sensitive and nuanced portrait of modernity at odds with tradition." Array has debuted a US trailer for an indie coming-of-age drama from Japan titled Ainu Mosir, made by filmmaker Takeshi Fukunaga. This premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival (where it received a Special Jury Mention) and Taipei Film Festival this year, and already opened in Japan back in October. Set in northern Japan's Hokkaido community, 14-year-old indigenous Ainu teen Kanto (played by Kanto Shimokura) searches for a spiritual connection to his recently deceased father with the help of a family friend. Torn between maintaining the tradition of his ancestors and lured by the mysteries of adulthood, Kanto is on a journey to find his sense of self. This looks like a lovely, spiritual film focusing on Japan's Indigenous people, and their struggles to fit in with society. Here's the official US trailer (+ posters) for Takeshi Fukunaga's Ainu Mosir, direct...

In today’s Global Bulletin, Ava DuVernay’s Array Releasing shares the trailer for Takeshi Fukunaga’s “Ainu Mosir,” Fremantle and Viacom deal on “Tough as Nails,” Eccho Rights and Born Wild team on a new output deal, King of Sunshine Productions announces two holiday musical specials for Channel 5, StudioCanal gets its second lead for “Un año, una noche,” and Amazon Prime Video scoops LatAm streaming rights for “Dignity.”

Distribution

Ava DuVernay’s Array Releasing is set to launch Takeshi Fukunaga’s sophomore feature “Ainu Mosir,” a Tribeca Film Festival premiere, which garnered a special jury mention, on Nov. 17 on Netflix and in select theaters.

A coming-of-age story, “Ainu Mosir” follows 14-year-old Kanto through his world of centuries-old traditions as he questions long-standing beliefs after the loss of a parent. Set in Hokkaido, Japan among the indigenous Ainu people, the story and characters were developed with input from the community,...

Ava DuVernay’s Array Releasing has acquired the highly-anticipated dramatic feature Funny Boy directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Deepa Mehta. The film is based on the best-selling Canadian novel by Shyam Selvadurai and will open theatrically in select cities and debut on Netflix on December 10.

Mehta is best known for her trilogy element-title trilogy Fire (1996), Earth (1998) and Water (2005). She co-wrote Funny Boy with Selvaduri. The film was shot on location and set in Sri Lanka in the ’70s and ’80s and explores the awakening of sexual identity by a young boy named Arjie (portrayed by Arush Nand and Brandon Ingram). As political tensions escalate to a boiling point between the minority Tamils and the majority Sinhalese, a young boy comes of age in a society and family that doesn’t embrace difference outside of societal norms. The film chronicles Arjie’s struggle to find balance and self-love despite the absence of empathy and understanding.

Array Releasing has secured the distribution rights to Ainu Mosir, the sophomore feature from writer and director Takeshi Fukunaga. The pic, which received a special jury mention at the 2020 Tribeca Film Festival, will hit Netflix on November 17 and will play theatrically in select cities throughout the month.

The drama is set in northern Japan’s Hokkaido community and follows 14-year-old indigenous Ainu teen Kanto (Kanto Shimokura), who searches for a spiritual connection with his recently deceased father with the help of a family friend. Torn between maintaining the tradition of his ancestors and lured by the mysteries of adulthood, Kanto is on a journey to find his sense of self.

This marks the second collaboration with Fukunaga and Array. His first film, Out Of My Hand, distributed via the Ava DuVernay-founded company in 2015, and was nominated for the John Cassavetes Independent Spirit Award.

Gordon Bobb of Del, Shaw, Moonves,...

Japan-us-China co-production is set among Japan’s indigenous Ainu people in Hokkaido.

Japan’s Nikkatsu Corp has picked up international rights to Ainu Mosir, directed by Japanese filmmaker Takeshi Fukunaga, which was awarded with a special jury mention at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival.

Set amongst the indigenous Ainu community in Hokkaido in northern Japan, the film follows a 14-year old Ainu boy as he searches for a spiritual connection to his recently deceased father.

The film was co-produced by New York-based Cineric and Japan’s Booster Project, with China’s Zhu Yifei as co-producer. The cast is headed by Kanto Shimokura,...

Set in the remote village of Ainu, a Unesco World Heritage site that has been transformed into a tourist destination filled with shops and performances, Ainu Mosir is a tender coming of age story about Kanto (Kanto Simokura) 14-year-old young boy grappling with his identity after the recent passing of his father. His traditions, including his language, has become a form of performance that grows contentious amongst the elders who navigate this tension in closed-door council meetings as they discuss reviving a sacred tradition that will undoubtedly horrify tourists from all over the world. Language is a primary tension throughout; while most everyone speaks Japanese, an effort is made to preserve the Ainu language which is taught in schools and to adults who have migrated to town to work in the shops–all while English announcements tout the cultural resources of the remote town, including its hot springs.

Written and directed by Takeshi Fukunaga,...

With almost all of Hollywood and large swaths of America and the world under stay-at-home orders because of the coronavirus pandemic, a digital conversation with some of the leading filmmakers of our time never seemed like a better idea than right now.

Which is exactly what Ava DuVernay and Array will be kicking off at 9 Am Pt today with now 60 directors participating in the its fourth filmmaker tweet-a-thon – see the full 10-hour schedule below and follow with #ARRAYNow

“We hope today’s day-long Q&a feels like a virtual group hug from filmmakers to film fans,” DuVernay told Deadline as the When They See Us helmer prepared to start the show this morning. “Everyone at Array just wanted to create a space for positivity and community during these tense times,” the Oscar nominee added. “The fact that 60 filmmakers of color and women directors answered our call is beautiful and we...

As a way to keep audiences enlightened and entertained during social distancing and quarantine, Ava DuVernay’s Array will launch #ArrayMatinee on April 1. The new weekly digital film series will include independent films from Array Releasing’s roster of global features.

Every subsequent Wednesday after April 1, Array will showcase five films from their slate. Viewers and cinephiles will be able to “watch and tweet” to engage and connect with each other — while using the #ArrayMatinee hashtag of course.

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Below you can read more about the films that will be featured in the #ArrayMatinee film series.

Ayanda (South Africa) – April 1, 1Pm Pst (Vimeo)

After tragedy strikes,...

Jimmy Carter Rock & Roll President to open festival as previously announced.

The world premieres of The Trip To Greece and a documentary about Sean Penn’s relief work in Haiti, as well as the inaugural Women at Work documentary showcase are among the line-up of 115 features announced by Tribeca Film Festival on Tuesday (3).

Michael Winterbottom’s The Trip To Greece reunites Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon and marks the fourth feature entry in the comedy series. It screens in Spotlight Narrative.

Don Hardy’s documentary Citizen Plus screens in Movies Plus and chronicles Penn’s activism and charitable work in the disaster-struck Caribbean island nation.

Jimmy Carter Rock & Roll President to open festival as previously announced.

The world premiere of a documentary about Sean Penn’s relief work in Haiti and the inaugural Women at Work documentary showcase are among the line-up of 115 features announced by Tribeca Film Festival on Tuesday (3).

Don Hardy’s documentary Citizen Plus screens in Movies Plus and chronicles Penn’s activism and charitable work in the disaster-struck Caribbean island nation.

The Us premiere of HBO’s Toronto dark comedy pick-up Bad Education starring Hugh Jackman screens in Spotlight Narrative, the same section that will show the New York premiere of...

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,...

Todd Haynes is in the running for best director and both Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara are in contention for best female lead alongside Room’s Brie Larson as Carol earned six 2016 Film Independent Spirit Award nominations in Los Angeles on Tuesday.Scroll down for full list of nominations

Close behind were Spotlight and Beasts Of No Nation on five apiece, followed by indie darling Tangerine and Anomalisa on four each.

Not even a glitch that saw the list of nominees temporarily appear on the Film Independent website prior to the official announcement could spoil what turned out by and large to be a recognition of independent film in its myriad forms.

Besides the more predictable contenders like Carol, Spotlight and Room, there was plenty of love for Tangerine, shot on an iPhone, and Beasts Of No Nation from Netflix, whose day-and-date release (and what that portends) infuriated large swathes of the exhibition sector but has clearly...

Todd Haynes is in the running for best director and both Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara are in contention for best female lead alongside Room’s Brie Larson as Carol earned six 2016 Film Independent Spirit Award nominations in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

Close behind were Spotlight and Beasts Of No Nation on five apiece, followed by indie darling Tangerine and Anomalisa on four each.

Not even a glitch that saw the list of nominees temporarily appear on the Film Independent website prior to the official announcement could spoil what turned out by and large to be a recognition of independent film in its myriad forms.

Besides the more predictable contenders like Carol, Spotlight and Room, there was plenty of love for Tangerine, shot on an iPhone, and Beasts Of No Nation from Netflix, whose day-and-date release (and what that portends) infuriated large swathes of the exhibition sector but has clearly impressed critics.

Magnolia Pictures earned...

Film Independent, the nonprofit arts organization that produces the Film Independent Spirit Awards, the La Film Festival and Film Independent at Lacma, announced nominations for the 2016 Spirit Awards this morning. Film Independent President Josh Welsh presided over the press conference held at W Hollywood, with actors John Boyega and Elizabeth Olsen presenting the nominations.

Nominees for Best Feature included Anomalisa, Beasts of No Nation, Carol, Spotlight and Tangerine.

“This year’s nominees are a testament to the strength, vitality and diversity of independent, artist-driven filmmaking,” said Film Independent President Josh Welsh. “It’s an astonishingly strong group of films and performances this year and we look forward to celebrating them all at the Spirit Awards.”

Spotlight was selected to receive the Robert Altman Award, which is bestowed upon one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast. The Altman Award was created in 2008 in honor of legendary director Robert Altman...

Array, the re-launching of the distribution collective previously known as Affrm, opens two films today: South African drama "Ayanda," directed by Sara Blecher ("Otelo Burning") and Takeshi Fukunaga’s directorial debut, "Out of My Hand." Both films kicking off their theatrical runs starting today, November 13, in Los Angeles and New York City, followed by a national tour to include Atlanta, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Seattle, Houston and Boston. “'Ayanda' and 'Out of My Hand' are films that represent the breadth and width of diverse filmmaking. A drama dissecting love in all forms directed by a South African woman, and a story of...

Possibly more than any other narrative art form, predictability is a bugaboo of cinema. It is all too common to know precisely where a story is headed the moment the first scene ends. And contrary to popular belief this is just as much a problem with indie cinema as it is with studio fare. Often when a film attempts to buck the predictability problem it causes the filmmakers to make erratic left turns in terms of tone or plot that harm the film in equally pernicious ways. That makes director/co-writer/co-editor Takeshi Fukunaga's freshman feature intriguing. "Out of My Hand" constantly lulls you into thinking that you know where it is going only to have...

Filmmaking is real. The boundaries between art and life can blur in unimaginable ways. In Takeshi Fukunaga’s first feature, "Out of My Hand," Cisco, a struggling Liberian rubber worker (Bishop Blay) risks everything for a new life in America, but soon after he arrives in the new land, old secrets come to pass. It’s a nuanced portrait of immigration and the fragile hopes that come with it, shot first in Liberia, before jumping to New York City. But it’s the Liberia portion, shot against soft magenta sunsets and through dark doorways by cinematographer Ryo Murakami, that is truly striking. When I learned that Murakami died of Malaria after shooting it, I was filled with a deep...