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Japan’s Nikkatsu has acquired worldwide sales rights for What Should We Have Done?, a documentary about one family’s approach to mental health that has proved a sleeper success at the local box office.

The studio will introduce the title to international buyers at the European Film Market (EFM) next week after seeing the documentary take $837,000 (¥130m) from more than 90,000 admissions to date.

Directed by Tomoaki Fujino, the feature is centred on the filmmaker’s own sister, Masako, a medical student who began to exhibit signs of schizophrenia in 1983. After graduating, Masako became a recluse and her parents – both...

If Japanese historical anime have no fans, then I am dead. Jokes aside, am I the only one who believes this subgenre is underappreciated? I’m no historian, but I took a few courses on Japanese history during my university days, so recognizing the time periods, historical events and famous figures helped me understand each of these shows' stories, worlds and characters. Whether it’s your first time with Japanese historical anime or you’re looking for one you haven’t seen yet, here are a few that I feel you should start watching. In This Guide Historical Realism Historical Fantasy Historical Realism The following Japanese historical anime depict specific time periods, events and famous figures with little to no fantasy elements. While not all characters are based on real people and certain actions are exaggerated, these shows, in my opinion, would fall under realism. 1. The Elusive Samurai The newest...

After yesterday’s rumors and confusion, we now know that Hong Kong director and cinematographer Corey Yuen has died. Interestingly, according to the Federation of Hong Kong Filmmakers, Yuen passed away in 2022, but the media kept his death a secret at the request of his family. While the Federation did not reveal a date of death, we know the Righting Wrongs, The Transporter, and Doa: Dead or Alive director died of complications from Covid-19. On Monday, news about Mr. Yuen’s death was revealed on Chinese-language social media by action legend Jackie Chan, who trained alongside Yuen under Sammo Hung Yuen Wah, Yuen Qiu, and Yuen Biao at the Peking Opera School.

Corey Yuen started as an actor, contributing to 114 projects and playing roles in films like The Jade Raksha, Long ya Jian, Ai Nu, Brutal Boxer, and more. He worked alongside cinema’s greatest martial artists, including Chan, Michelle Yeoh,...

Based on the beloved manga series of the same name, Golden Kamuy introduced Satoru Noda’s memorable characters and action-packed tale to the silver screen. Director Shigeaki Kubo faced the challenge of adapting over a dozen manga volumes into a feature-length film while staying faithful to the source material.

He succeeded in large part thanks to expansively showcasing what makes Golden Kamuy such an engrossing story—the perfect balance of brutality and humor, education and adventure.

From its opening scenes of warfare’s harsh realities to its character-driven quest for gold and justice, Golden Kamuy immersed viewers in late 19th-century Hokkaido. Lead by Kento Yamazaki’s gritty yet sympathetic Saichi “Immortal” Sugimoto and Anna Yamada’s headstrong Ainu guide Asirpa, characters both familiar and new leapt from the page with depth and dimension.

Fierce battles against men and nature alike thrilled, and tensions between factions vying for the treasure kept mysteries swirling.

When it comes to China, the discourse surrounding queer identities – like many other issues – can be placed in a gray area, on the fragile border with taboo. However, cinema is perhaps the most powerful visual medium for better understanding certain dynamics that are too often subject to useless labels and dichotomous discussions. For this reason, I have selected 12 works – including narrative feature films and documentaries – that explore and reflect on intimate queer representation. The list is presented in chronological order and includes titles from Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan

1. Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan (1972) Chor Yuan

“Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan” is a 1972 Hong Kong wuxia film directed by Chor Yuen, known for its blend of elements from martial arts and erotica. The protagonist, Ai Nu (Lily Ho), is sold to a brothel at the young age of 18. She quickly becomes the favorite of the brothel's owner,...

The probably penultimate season of “Golden Kamuy”, one of the best titles of the last few years, saw a number of changes. Brain's Base produced the season, replacing Geno Studio, while Shizutaka Sugahara replaced Hitoshi Sugahara as chief series director, and Takumi Yamakawa replaced Kenichi Onuki as character designer. The result seems to move more into comedic territory (action comedy if you prefer), particularly in the first episodes, but thankfully, the usual anime silliness is placed in the background as time passes.

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The race to obtain the body tattoos and eventually the Ainu gold continues in the most intense fashion, as the three groups are all in, trying to get there first while ridding themselves of their opponents. Expectedly, more and more former prisoners who pose a threat all around appear, with the narrative focusing intensely on some and briefly on others,...

Huayi Bros Pictures is producing a new big budget martial arts Wuxia fest Zhui Ying (Chasing Shadows), and the first stills are online. The film is to be directed by veteran Hong Kong actor Francis Ng with Jaycee Chan (son of Jackie Chan) leading cast, playing a martial arts fighter Xu Sanguan. The film will pay tribute to martial arts classics of the 1970s such as King Hu's Dragon Inn and Come Drink With Me, Chang Cheh's The One-armed Swordsman, Yuen Chor's Ai Nu and Drunken Fist II by Kar-leung Lau. The story revolves around a gathering of kung-fu masters from different parts of China at a desert inn to unravel a mystery. A big budget Wuxia fight fest, with Kung Fu masters and liberal helping of Ninjas thrown in for good measure. Oh I think we could force ourselves to watch that. Chasing Shadows is due...