‘Drive My Car’ Cannes Review: Japanese Competition Entry Is Another Highpoint For Rising Director Ryusuke Hamaguchi

While the internet IRL is drenched in morbidity and toxicity, Japanese filmmaker Mamoru Hosoda imagines a brighter semi-utopia in “Belle.” Five billion users have signed up to a virtual society called “U,” a vast chasm of lights and screens, and is populated by algorithmically generated avatars that supposedly bring out the person’s inner strengths.

Vogue Hong Kong honors women in sports ahead of the Tokyo Olympics and chose Naomi Osaka to be part of their unique feature. The publication released images of the athlete rocking exquisite tennis-inspired fashion.

While the internet IRL is drenched in morbidity and toxicity, Japanese filmmaker Mamoru Hosoda imagines a brighter semi-utopia in “Belle.” Five billion users have signed up to a virtual society called “U,” a vast chasm of lights and screens, and is populated by algorithmically generated avatars that supposedly bring out the person’s inner strengths.

Leo Barraclough International Features EditorLeading arthouse sales agency The Match Factory has announced a host of sales on Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s “Drive My Car,” which premiered in Cannes Competition on Sunday and is a favorite with the critics.The Japanese drama has sold to the U.K. (Modern Film), Benelux (September Film), Italy (Tucker Film), Spain (Elastica), Portugal (Leopardo), Greece (Ama Films), Former Yugoslavia (Demiurg), Hong Kong (Edko Films) and Taiwan (Andrews Film).

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefSpecialty U.S. distribution company KimStim is to give a North American release to “Wood and Water,” a German-made feature set against the backdrop of the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong.The film premiered in the Deutsche Perspektive section of this year’s erlinaleand won the Compass-Perspektive Award special mention during the Berlin festival’s summer edition.

Stephen A. Smith is in a HUGE quagmire this week after saying MLB baseball star Shohei Ohtani — who is Japanese — is “harming” the marketing of professional baseball in America because he “doesn’t speak English.”

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Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorSpotify and New York’s legendary Electric Lady Studios have expanded their partnership to include a series of live EPs, starting later this month.

Take a moment and imagine living in West Germany in July 1969. Like many around the world, you’re sitting in front of a television watching Neil Armstrong as he takes “a giant leap for mankind” by stepping on the moon.

EXCLUSIVE: FilmSharks, the Buenos Aires-based sales agency, is busy on the ground here in Cannes and has inked a series of significant deals on key titles from its slate.

Ed Meza @edmezavarGerman co-productions are making a strong showing at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, among them Leos Carax’s opening film, “Annette,” Wes Anderson’s star-studded “The French Dispatch” and Hungarian director Ildikó Enyedi’s “The Story of My Wife.”Fabian Gasmia’s Berlin-based Detailfilm is among the producers on “Annette,” which stars Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard.

Blade Runner: Black Lotus, an upcoming anime spin-off of the acclaimed sci-fi franchise, has been unveiled.Adult Swim and Crunchyroll, who will both air the series, have announced the series’ cast for both its English and Japanese versions, per Deadline.

Adult Swim and Crunchyroll have revealed the characters and stellar English and Japanese voice cast of its anticipated animated series Blade Runner: Black Lotus, inspired by the Blade Runner movie franchise.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief“Many people changed their minds at the last minute and decided to come to Cannes,” said Jerome Paillard, executive manager of the Cannes Market, the business wing of the Cannes Film Festival. Those that did will have access to a large volume of new films making their market premieres.Paillard explained that the pre-Cannes online market held two weeks ago was necessary because it filled the gap between Berlin and Cannes.

Israeli writer/director Nadav Lapid has been on the international radar for quite some time, 2011’s “Policeman” made international waves, and 2014’s ‘The Kindergarten Teacher” was so well regarded, Hollywood, Netflix, and Maggie Gyllenhaal made a remake in 2018. But things started to really take off for Lapid after “Synonyms” won the Golden Bear award at the 69th Berlin International Film Festival in February 2019 and introduced most of the world to breakout star Tom Mercier.

Mark Schilling Japan CorrespondentNikkatsu has added “Hiruko the Goblin,” a 1991 adventure-horror film by cult director Tsukamoto Shinya, to its sales slate at the Cannes Market, an adjunct to the Cannes Film Festival.