©Photo: Noriko Hayashi/The New York Times

 

Goodfellas has taken over the worldwide distribution rights for Japanese director Chie Hayakawa‘s Tokyo-set drama Renoir before its premiere.

Hayakawa’s debut film, Plan 75 set in a near future in Japan, focus on the government program Plan 75 which encourages senior citizens to be euthanized to remedy an aged society. The film debuted in Cannes Un Certain Regard in 2022, garnering a Special Mention in the Caméra d’Or contest for best first film. The drama went on selected by 30 film festivals around the world and also was selected as Japan’s entry for Best International Feature Film at the 95th Academy Awards.

Her latest outing, Renoir is set in suburban Tokyo in 1987 and revolves around 11-year-old Fuki, whose father is facing cancer and is constantly in and out of the hospital. Fuki is left to her own devices as her mother is juggling caring for him and a full-time job.

With her mother stretched between caring for him and holding down a full-time job, Fuki is left to her own devices. Her rich imagination leads her to be fascinated by telepathy and immerse herself deeper into her own fantasy world.

Producers Eiko Mizuno-Gray and Jason Gray, both from Tokyo-based Loaded Films Ltd (To The Ends Of The Earth, Ten Years Japan), are reunited with Hayakawa for this project. Christophe Bruncher from Ici et Là and Fran Borgia from Akanga Film Asia, who also produced Tiger Stripes, will be working as co-producers alongside ARTE France Cinema.

Happinet-Phantom Studios, which has acquired distribution rights in Japan, and Dongyu Club are also partners of other Japanese films. Eurozoom has taken French distribution rights.

Plan 75 Interview with Chie Hayakawa by Chiara Spagnoli Gabardi.