Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s ‘A Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy’ Explores Japan’s Gender Dynamics Via Intimate Shorts

Mark Schilling Japan CorrespondentThe 44th Japan Academy Film Prize ceremony was held on Friday at the Grand Prince Hotel New Takawana in Tokyo, despite a state of emergency still in force on the nation’s capital.One big winner was Uchida Eiji’s gay-themed drama “Midnight Swan” with took the best picture prize, while star Kusanagi Tsuyoshi was awarded best actor honors for his turn as an ageing transgender nightclub performer.Meanwhile, best actress went to Nagasawa Masami for her portrayal of

Netflix is locking down production space in Japan, as the streamer continues to expand its footprint in the developed markets of East Asia. The company said Thursday that it has inked an agreement with Japan's legendary Toho Studios, home of Godzilla and Akira Kurosawa, for access to two soundstages and additional facilities in southwest Tokyo.

Netflix has struck a multi-year deal to lease two soundstages at iconic Japanese film studio Toho.

Mark Schilling Japan CorrespondentA late addition to the Nikkatsu lineup for FilMart is “First Gentleman,” a local co-production between Nikkatsu, Toei and Nippon TV.

Vivienne Chow Hong Kong’s local streaming platform HMVOD enjoyed a 200% surge in usage following the COVID-19 pandemic. Now it plans to invest more in original content production and increase licensing of Japanese drama and animation.Cantonese-language original content proved to be successful during the pandemic as many people turned to online entertainment while they remained at home, says Tracy Ho, HMVOD’s CEO.

Mark Schilling Japan CorrespondentSales agency Pony Canyon is bringing some of the biggest upcoming Japanese live-action films to FilMart, including genre titles with global ambitions.One is “Office Royale,” whose title references the 2000 Fukasaku Kinji classic “Battle Royale,” but is an action comedy scripted by popular funnyman Bakarhythm and directed by TV drama veteran Seki Kazuaki. Nakano Mei (“Park”) stars as an ordinary “office lady” (OL or clerk) in a humdrum company.

Mark Schilling Japan Correspondent“Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time,” the fourth film in the Rebuild of Evangelion sci-fi anime series created and co-directed by Anno Hideaki, has earned $30.6 million from 2.2 million admissions in its first week on release, according to distributor figures released on Monday.Bowing on March 8 on 466 screens, the film has grabbed 45% more at the box office than the third “Rebuild of Evangelion” film, “Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo,” which had a

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefJust weeks after Japan’s Olympic Games chief was forced to resign over his sexist comments, the Tokyo International Film Festival has become the first major festival in Asia to sign a gender parity pledge. The move was announced on Monday as part of a quartet of major shakeup development moves.The festival said that it will relocate to a new district in Tokyo for the first time in 16 years and rethink its competition section.

Mark Schilling Japan CorrespondentFollowing his win of the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize at the recently concluded Berlin Film Festival for “Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy,” 42-year-old Hamaguchi Ryusuke suddenly finds himself catapulted to the directorial front ranks in his native Japan.It’s not that he’s exactly obscure there: Hamaguchi’s 2018 romantic drama “Asako I & II” was selected for the Cannes competition while his 2015 breakthrough, the five-hour-plus drama “Happy Hour,” won a group best

Mark Schilling Japan CorrespondentV6, a male idol supergroup associated with the once all-powerful Johnny & Associates agency, has announced its break-up, effective Nov. 1.

Nippon TV, Japan's multiplatform entertainment powerhouse, said Friday that it will produce and globally distribute Joe Hisaishi & World Dream Orchestra 2021, a concert featuring the composer's iconic scores from Studio Ghibli's Princess Mononoke and other works. The 90-minute concert will be held and recorded April 27 at the Tokyo Metropolitan Theater, and Nippon TV will then sell the worldwide broadcast rights to the show.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefJapanese e-commerce and entertainment group Rakuten is to receive a $2.2 billion (JPY242 billion) capital injection through a share sale headed by Japan Post, Chinese social media and entertainment group Tencent and Walmart.The move is intended to help the e-commerce leader strengthen itself and weather competition from Amazon.

John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentBerlin Grand Jury Prize winner “Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy,” Japanese writer-director Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s deft three-story reflection on chance, the legacy of love and the contrariness of erotic desire, has clinched further key territory sales for its sales agent M-Appeal World Sales.Fast on the footsteps of clinching the top Berlinale 2021 Silver Bear in March 5’s Berlin prize announcement, “Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy” this week closed Spain

Peter Debruge Chief Film CriticWhen Japanese director Ryusuke Hamaguchi made his return to fiction after time away in the realm of documentary, he dispensed with the idea that stories must conform to feature length.

Highland Film Group has secured multiple distribution deals for action-thriller Wash Me In The River, starring Robert De Niro, John Malkovich, Jack Huston, Quavo and Willa Fitzgerald.

Leo Barraclough International Features EditorSales agent M-Appeal has closed further territory deals for Japanese filmmaker Ryūsuke Hamaguchi’s “Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy,” which just won the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize at the Berlin Film Festival.Benelux rights have gone to September Film, and StraDa Films has picked the film up in Greece. September Film plans to release the title theatrically post pandemic.