Shock 'Parasite' Oscar cements South Korea's status as a cultural powerhouse
South Korea's status as a cultural juggernaut just got a serious shot of international credibility. "Parasite," a dark comedy about the divisions of wealth and class, became the first foreign-language film in history to win the coveted Oscar for best film. The movie — made ...
Japan film festival backtracks on scrapping of 'comfort women' movie screening
After coming under fire for dropping the movie, a film festival in Kawasaki decides to show a documentary on the highly controversial issue of Japan’s wartime military brothels.
Machiko Kyo, internationally acclaimed Japanese actress, dies at 95
Actress Machiko Kyo, who starred in a number of films by legendary Japanese directors including Akira Kurosawa's "Rashomon," has died of heart failure, Toho Co. said Tuesday. She was 95. Kyo, whose real name was Motoko Yano, died on Sunday at a Tokyo hospital, according ...
'Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker' sees return of Emperor Palpatine
The ninth film in the original "Star Wars" saga will be called "The Rise of Skywalker," and will feature the return of the evil Emperor Palpatine to threaten the young heroine Rey and the Resistance, Walt Disney Co. revealed Friday. Disney showed fans attending the ...
Hello Kitty headed for Hollywood after years of talks on film rights
One of Japan's most beloved cat cartoon characters is headed for Hollywood. Sanrio announced on Wednesday that it will team up with New Line Cinema and FlynnPictureCo. to create an English-language Hello Kitty film for global audiences, with Warner Brothers as distributor. The iconic cat, first ...
'Blank 13': Dark dysfunctional-family drama offers no easy answers
A father steps back into his family's lives, after a gap of 13 years, to tell them he is dying of cancer.
French director Jean-Jacques Beineix to head jury for 29th Tokyo International Film Festival
More than 200 films will be screened, with 16 taking part in the competition section, at this year's Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) running from Oct. 25 to Nov. 3. The 29th TIFF will take place at Roppongi Hills in Minato Ward. Jean-Jacques Beineix, director of ...
Japan's regional revitalization efforts have come into the spotlight in a new way, with film commissions promoting parts of the nation through location scouting and production assistance. Usually set up as nonprofit organizations, the commissions help filmmakers obtain permits to shoot in public places, such ...
Karaoke firms think inside the box with new-release films, language classes
Karaoke establishments around the country today are not just places for singing in a group — they are increasingly for watching films, holding children's parties or for solo-crooning sessions. Karaoke operators are offering a slew of new services that leverage their private rooms and attract ...
Film depicting horrors faced by 'comfort women' for Japan army tops Korea box office
A film based on the horrors experienced by "comfort women" in Japanese military brothels during World War II, whose doubtful commercial appeal meant it took 14 years and the contributions of 75,000 individual donors to complete, is top of the box office in South ...
One dead in accident on Scorsese's Japan Christians movie set
One person died and two were injured on Thursday when a ceiling collapsed on the set in Taiwan of Martin Scorsese's upcoming film "Silence," a spokeswoman for the production said. The three were working as contractors to reinforce a building on the CMPC Studios lot ...
Mom's anti-nuclear stance inspires film
In the days of uncertainty immediately following the March 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, documentary filmmaker Masako Sakata turned to a book written by her late mother, an anti-nuclear campaigner, to try to make sense of what was happening. The book, "Please Listen," is a collection ...
