exclusive: Japanese Kabuki blockbuster National Treasure is gaining new sales worldwide through Pyramid International.
The film was acquired in the UK and Ireland (Vue Lumière), Australia and New Zealand (Palace Films), Spain (Filmin), Italy (Tucker Films), Brazil (Imovision), Latin America ex-Brazil (Madness), Turkey (Vagon), Israel (Lev), Greece (One From The Heart), Finland (Cinema Mondo), and the former Yugoslavia (Fivia and MCF). This is in addition to previous sales in Benelux (September Films) and Switzerland (Trigon).
Japan’s Aniplex, which oversees sales in Asia, sold the film to Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei (Media Prima), Vietnam (Aeon Entertainment), and Thailand (Sahamongkol Film International). Previous acquisitions in Asia have included South Korea (Media Castle), Hong Kong (Edko) and Taiwan (Filmware).
The film, directed by Lee Sang-il, was Japan’s Oscar winner and the highest-grossing local live-action film of all time. It will be screened at the Red Sea International Film Festival this week.
“Kokuho” tells the story of the son of a yakuza in Nagasaki in the 1960s, when his father, a famous kabuki actor, dies and is taken in by the actor’s own son. Set in Japan’s post-war economic boom, the story spans 50 years as two men rise to the biggest stage and experience glory, downfall, scandal, and triumph.
The cast includes Ryo Yoshizawa, Ryusei Yokohama, and Ken Watanabe. Produced by Aniplex in cooperation with Milligon Studio, Amuse, Toho Co., Ltd., Lawson, and Credeus.
Toho released the film in Japan on June 6th, and it is still in theaters today, selling over 12.3 million tickets and grossing $111 million (17.3 million yen), making it the highest grossing Japanese live-action film in history.
GKids acquired the film for North America and released it last month in New York and Los Angeles for Oscar qualifying. Pyramid will release the film in France on December 24th.
“Kokuho” premiered at Cannes Directors’ Fortnight in May and has since been screened at numerous film festivals, including Toronto and Shanghai. This week it will be played in the Red Sea Festival Favorites section.
This story is based on the novel of the same name published in 2017 by Shuichi Yoshida. Lee, a Korean Japanese film director, previously directed a novel by Yoshida. villain‘ has won five awards including the Japan Academy Award since its release in 2010. wandering moon In addition to the show starring Yokohama, episodes from popular Apple TV+ series are also included. pachinko.
(Tag translation) Asia
