YANAGAWA as the Opening Film of OAFF 2022!

I founded a new independent film startup called Foggy in Fukuoka in November last year. Foggy's mission is to deliver a director's passion to his/her audience. We will distribute and market Japanese independent films to worldwide audiences and foreign independent films to Japanese audiences. For us, a director's passion is the most important thing, and we don't care about commerciality of the film at all.

Harakiri Films, based in Osaka, will continue developing and producing independent films by up-and-coming directors from all over the world. Harakiri Films is a development and production company to make a director’s passion into a film.

I consider myself a producer (filmmaker) rather than a distributor. As an independent producer, I have been struggling to finance all of my projects because I have to convince investors by explaining them how my arthouse films make money. In order to make a business plan for the investors, of course, I have to make a marketing plan. But in reality, producers are not the ones who do marketing. Distributors are the ones who do marketing. I was wondering for several years how I can make a marketing plan when I don’t do marketing.

So this is my solution. I do distribution and marketing by myself.

In Japan, there are serious problems in the independent film industry. Filmmakers don’t get paid because the budget is too low. Even when a film makes money, the filmmakers still don’t get paid as the distributor gets the profit most of the time. I want to change this unhealthy scheme. My another mission is to make a system which filmmakers get paid automatically when their films make money.

Anyway, I’m happy to announce that YANAGAWA which Foggy is distributing in Japan will be screened as the opening film of Osaka Asian Film Festival 2022!

2021 / China, Japan, Korea / 112 min / Director: ZHANG Lu (张律) / Distributors in Japan: Foggy, Iha Films

Starring: NI Ni (倪妮), ZHANG Luyi (张鲁一), XIN Baiqing (辛柏青),

IKEMATSU Sosuke (池松壮亮), NAKANO Ryoko (中野良子), Ninon (新音)

YANAGAWA is a true international coproduction independent film which Chinese crew, Korean crew, and Japanese crew worked together. I’m so happy to introduce this film as Foggy’s first film to distribute.

I participated in Osaka Asian Film Festival in 2015 and 2016 as a volunteer staff, and this is the place I met many Asian filmmaker friends. Because of the wonderful experience at the festival, I quit the job and decided to be a film producer. In 2016, they screened my first feature ERIKO, PRETENDED. In 2018, they screened THE GOOSE GOES SOUTH which I helped production in Osaka. I have a lot of good memories in this festival, so I’m so glad to come back to the festival with this wonderful opening film.

YANAGAWA will be screened at Umeda Burg 7 on March 10 as the festival’s opening film, as the film’s Japan premiere, and as Foggy’s first film.

See you at Umeda Burg 7 on March 10!

Taro Imai

Tokyo International Film Festival!

Hi, this is Taro Imai from Harakiri Films, Osaka. The past 2 weeks had been crazy for me.

On Oct 28, we wrapped up shooting of Korea Japan co-production independent film Anatano Uchuwa Daijobu Desuka? in Osaka.

On Oct 29, I was about to go to Itami Airport to attend a party called Tokyo Cinema Night at Tokyo International Film Festival. Then I heard a news that the assistant director of Anatano Uchuwa Daijobu Desuka? was hit by a car last night and was in a coma at a hospital. He is our friend who worked with us for a month together, so I thought I should cancel my trip to Tokyo. Fortunately, I heard that his life was OK, so I packed my clothes and rushed the the airport.

Our beloved assistant director, Minuk, from Korea in the middle.

On the same day, we started crowdfunding for Anatano Uchuwa Daijobu Desuka? as you can check the link below. We all had mixed feelings about promoting crowdfunding when our friend was fighting for his life, but here it is.

https://motion-gallery.net/projects/onajisoranoshitade

In the afternoon, I arrived at my favorite hostel called Tokyo Hutte near Tokyo Sky Tree. The price is 3,000 yen per night for tatami dormitory, but I was the only one guest in the room!

Tatami dormitory at Tokyo Hutte

At night, I went to Tokyo Cinema Night with Akiyo Fujimura, a director of Eriko, Pretended which I produced. The party was supposed to be an event to connect Japanese young filmmakers and foreign film guys, but I didn't see much young Japanese filmmakers there. Come on, where are they? 

Freddy Olsson from Goteborg Film Festival and his red dragon at Tokyo Cinema Night. Freddy, please choose Akiyo's film!

A poster of my film, Eriko, Pretended and a poster of this film at TIFF, hahaha

On Oct 30, I went to see a short film, Watashiga Hatsuga Suru Hi directed by Kozue Nomoto and starring Haruna Hori at Eizou Grand Prix as I'm hoping to have a screening of this film in Osaka next year. I just worked with Haruna Hori for Korea Japan co-production film, so I was happy to see her on the screen.

On Oct 31, I helped a screening of Snow Woman directed by Kiki Sugino for the competition of TIFF as I'm an assistant producer of this film. Honestly saying, I haven't seen this film yet, but everyone is telling me that this film is beautiful and interesting, so I'm looking forward to seeing it soon too. I even saw my favorite director, Hirokazu Koreeda at the screening. I want to know how he felt about the film.

At the festival, I met Pamela Reyes, a classmate of Ties That Bind and her director Mikhail Red. They were there for their film, Birdshot. Somehow, I get along very well with Filipino filmmakers, so I want to continue making good relationship with them. Again, I don't know why young Japanese filmmakers don't come to talk to these talented filmmakers here. As you can see on the pic, there is one of the greatest directors from Asia is here.

Pamela Reyes, Mikhail Red, Liza Dino-Seguerra, Lav Diaz, Hazel Orencio, Arnold Cruz Reyes, and me

At night, we went out to Shinjuku for drinking all night...

Don Saron in the middle...

I wanna go to this bar in Shinjuku again but don't remember...

We went to 3 bars in Shinjuku guided by super nice actress Makiko Watanabe. Makiko san is a great actress, but she took us around Shinjuku. I think this is the real omotenashi, the way of welcoming people in Japan. Thank you, Makiko san.

Nov 1, I saw 4K remaster version of Floating Clouds (Ukigumo) directed by Mikio Naruse. This is definitely not a film to watch when you have hungover, so I'm not gonna comment about film itself. About 4K remaster, I noticed that the dialogue and the music were too loud and too clear. I have never seen the original version, so I can't compare with the original version, but the dialogue and the music sounded a bit annoying for me. The background ambient sound sounded too low, and that sounded unbalanced for me. I felt this film has a lots of Western influence although it is called a masterpiece of Japanese classic cinema. Use of Middle Eastern like music and dialogue between the guy and the woman sounds like Western cinema. The story is melodrama like Casablanca. Anyway, I should watch this film when I don't have hungover again.

At night, finally a screening of Birdshot directed by Mikhail Rad and produced by Pamela Reyes! Beautiful, thrilling, and mesmerizing. How can you guys make such a kickass film, Mikhail and Pamela? Indeed, Birdshot won Best Asian Future Award! I'm a lucky guy to be their friend. Filipinos really rock! Everyone should watch this film whenever you have a chance!

Birdshot producer Pamela Reyes and actress Mary Joy Apostol

On Nov 2, I saw Diamond Island directed by Davy Chou. This is another great film I saw at TIFF. Someone said this film resembled the current Cambodia at Q&A, but I would like to ask who knows about the current Cambodia in Japan. Most of us don't know anything about Cambodia, so I don't think it is good to imagine about whole Cambodia just watching this film. I think this film should be a door to have more interest in Cambodia. This film is entertaining and should be screened in Japan.

Akiyo Fujimura, Davy Chou, Khmeng Peal Komsoth, and me

On Nov 3, I went to Shin Okubo Film Festival to meet Jang Kunjae. His film, A mid summer's Fantasia was screened there. I love this film, and Jang Kunaje is a very nice guy.

Jang Kunjae...

On Nov 4, I went to Yokohama to discuss about music right of a documentary film about Pepe Smith and his legendary band called Speed, Glue & Shinki I'm making with Bradley Liew. Then finally, I came back to Osaka.

After coming back to Osaka, I went to see the assistant director of Anatano Uchuwa Daijobu Desuka? to the hospital. Miraculously, he is getting better, and I really hope he will come back on a set soon!

Taro Imai, harakiri films