Japanese Costume Drama ‘the Return’ to Have World Premiere TV Screening at Mipcom

The first Japanese costume drama shot in 8K, “The Return,” will have its World Premiere TV Screening at MIPCOM 2019.

The world’s entertainment content market MIPCOM takes place in Cannes, France from 14th-17th October. “The Return” will premiere at the Palais des Festivals on Tuesday 15th October, 11.30-13.45 at Auditorium A.
 
Based on a story by award-winning writer Shuhei Fujisawa “The Return” stars Tatsuya Nakadai, a veteran of director Akira Kurosawa’s historical epics, with Takako Tokiwa and Jiro Sato, who will be in Cannes for the premiere. “The Return” was directed and co-written by Shigemichi Sugita for Japan’s Samurai Drama Channel, a pay TV service on Japanese cable and satellite platforms that specializes in historical movies and TV programs.
 
Shigemichi Sugita says, “The Return is a drama about universal values. A person has made a mistake he wants to correct late in life, and he’s looking for a way to do that.”
 
Speaking about the visual production values, Sugita adds, “We wanted to capture the most realistic historical detail possible. We’ve tried to do this many times in the past, but now we think we’ve succeeded thanks to 8K technology.”
 
The main character is an old outlaw who returns to his hometown after many years of wandering the land and living a gambler’s life. While reflecting on the sins he committed in the past, he meets a young woman in trouble and decides to save her, and himself, in the process.
 
The drama was filmed in the mountainous splendour of central Japan, which retains the atmosphere of the Edo Period (1603-1868) in which the story is set.
 
The 120-minute special drama was coproduced by Nihon Eiga Broadcasting Corporation along with its production committee, and Kansai TV will handle international sales.
 
About Reed MIDEM – Founded in 1963, Reed MIDEM is an organiser of professional, international markets that are essential business platforms for key players in the sectors concerned. These sectors are MIPTV, MIPDOC, MIPCOM, MIPJUNIOR in Cannes, MIP China in Hangzhou and MIP Cancun in Mexico for the television and digital content industries; MIDEM in Cannes for music professionals; Esports BAR in Cannes and in Miami for the esports business; MIPIM in Cannes, MIPIM UK in London, MIPIM Asia Summit in Hong Kong and MIPIM PropTech Summit in New York for the real estate industry; MAPIC in Cannes, MAPIC Russia in Moscow, MAPIC Italy in Milan, MAPIC China Summit in Shanghai and IRF brought by MAPIC in Mumbai for the retail real estate sector.
 
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