Japan project to nurture film creators unveiled in Cannes with director Kore-eda as judge
CANNES, France -- A Japanese visual media business has launched a project to encourage next-generation creators to produce original films with the aim of submitting the movies to prestigious international film festivals and winning awards.
Director Hirokazu Kore-eda, who attended an announcement of the project near the main venue of the Cannes Film Festival in May, took part in judging submissions in the project's inaugural edition. He expressed his hopes that it would "develop not only Japanese films, but also expand to include young Asian filmmakers as candidates."
The project was initiated by Imagica Group Inc., a company involved in the visual media business based in Minato Ward, Tokyo, as a gesture of gratitude to the industry on the group's 90th anniversary. The goal is to discover and nurture talented creators and provide them with opportunities to shine on a global stage. Imagica Group will solicit film proposals from companies under its wing and select one film annually to be produced. External creators can also apply if they collaborate with a producer from within the group. The project is set to continue for five years, with a budget cap of 70 million yen (about $500,000) for the first production.
Kore-eda, who won the Cannes Festival's highest Palme d'Or in 2018 for his film "Shoplifters" and served as a competition jury member in 2024, welcomed the new project as a long-awaited development. "While national support is important for introducing new Japanese talent overseas, I've always felt that the angle of discovering and nurturing new talent from within the industry has been weak," he said, adding that it would be wonderful if the project continued for 10 or 15 years and supported Asian filmmakers.
Other judges include Tokyo International Film Festival Programming Director Shozo Ichiyama. He explained that in Japan, raising funds for film production is difficult without popular source material like novels or manga. "There is great significance in supporting projects based on original screenplays. After reading the submitted scripts, I realized that there are many talented young directors out there," he said delightedly. Yuka Sakano, executive director of the Kawakita Memorial Film Institute, remarked, "I've never heard of a private company supporting a project on this scale. It's innovative."
The first project unanimously selected by the three judges from among 88 initial submissions was "Maria," written by Tomoka Terada, 31, who reflected her experience as a social worker in the screenplay. The story follows an 18-year-old girl, Maria, working as a caregiver in Japan, who turns to crime to fund an abortion for her unwanted pregnancy. Terada explained, "The background of the story includes various issues facing modern Japanese society, such as inequality, poverty, the harsh working conditions of care workers, and gender discrimination." Despite its serious themes, the production is described as having a comedic tone, portraying a protagonist who lives with humor and strength.
Raised by a single mother working in caregiving, Terada also chose to work in the welfare field, supporting homeless individuals and women who had suffered sexual abuse. She had a passion for writing and a desire to engage in creative expression. During the COVID-19 pandemic, as more clients faced financial difficulties and she struggled to find the time to deal with each one, she watched films. She found they could intricately depict the life of individuals beyond systemic constraints, and that led her to pursue filmmaking. While continuing her work, she has been learning about how to make movies and will be directing for the first time in this project.
Visiting the Cannes Film Festival in May, Terada stated, "I thought this was a very distant world, so I am deeply honored to have the opportunity to speak here. I feel that the festival tends to select films that stand with people in difficult situations and strongly convey social messages even from a small-scale perspective. I would be delighted if my work is chosen someday."
Hana Tsuchikawa, 31, who is from the same generation as Terada, is working as a producer on "Maria." "I was moved by the story's realism and the warmth of its worldview. I feel a strong connection with Terada as we are the same age, the same gender, and both are taking on the challenge of directing and producing for the first time," she noted.
Director Kore-eda praised Terada's screenplay, saying, " It is down-to-earth and depicts universal human beings." He said with a smile, "It was by far the best, and if the other judges hadn't supported it, I was considering producing it at my company."
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