‘The Hotel of My Dreams,’ ‘Kaiju Guy’ Head Quartet of Japanese Titles Launched by Nikkatsu for TIFFCOM

Nikkatsu, the venerable Japanese studio which is representing “Cloud,” the latest film by Kurosawa Kiyoshi, has added a quartet of new titles to its sales lineup, in time for TIFFCOM the rights market that accompanies the Tokyo International Film Festival.

These are headed by “The Hotel of My Dreams,” a comedy-drama directed by Tsutsumi Yukihiko. It stars the acclaimed Non (“Confession,” “Hold Me Back”) as a woman who may be the unluckiest debut novelist in the world. After a promising and award-winning start to her career, Kayoko is derailed by brutal criticism from a more established writer. After the two find themselves in the same hotel, Kayako seeks to sabotage her rival’s publication. But that further showdowns follow. The film is set to release in Japanese theaters on Dec. 27.

“Kaiju Guy,” directed by Yagi Junichiro, is targeting a January 2025 release and is intended to bring geeky cheer to the winter months. The comedy-action adventure sees a nerdy guy commissioned by a small town city hall to direct a promotional movie. But when he decides to eschew convention and make it as a kaiju [monster] movie he sets of a spiral of trouble. The picture represents the movie debut of Gumpy, a hugely popular Japanese comedian with 1.5 million YouTube followers.

The third live action newcomer is “As for Me,” a young-adult love story adapted from a successful novel by Yuzuki Asako. Directed by Yazaki Hitoshi, the film stars Hashimoto Ai, the popular actor who was previously the ambassador for the Tokyo International Film Festival, and Nakagawa Taishi. Nikkatsu pitches it as a Tokyo-set love story that teaches us to love ourselves even when lost and confused.

In a last-minute addition, the firm has also recently added stop-motion short film “Komaneko – A New Journey,” a current year film directed by Tsuneo Goda. The film is a story of friendship and growth between characters Koma, Momoiro and Haiiro as they go through a series of emotions ahead of an overseas trip. Production is through KFP and Dwarf.

Nikkatsu is over 112 years old and has had a diverse history covering film, so-called ‘pink films’ and television content. Among its recent library titles are “Wife of a Spy,” a suspense drama that won Kurosawa a best director prize at Venice in 2020, and Fukunaga Takeshi’s “Ainu Mosir,” the first film to focus on Japan’s indigenous Ainu community with an all-Ainu main cast. This year’s Tokyo festival returns to similar subject matter with Nippon Cinema Now selection “Ainu Puri.”

Kurosawa’s “Cloud” has been selected as Japan’s best international film Oscar contender. Kurosawa will take part in a Tokyo festival masterclass at the weekend.