Entertainment news Published
Finecut Announces Deals for Justin H. Min's 'Journey There' and New Hong Sangsoo Film
Korean sales company Finecut has reportedly wrapped distribution deals for two new films at a Tokyo film market: 'Journey There,' starring Justin H. Min, and Hong Sangsoo's 'Nowhere to Lay My Eyes.' The agreements point toward releases in Japan, Taiwan, France and other territories.
Translated from Japanese with AI. Read the original (Japanese)
The facts
Two Films, One Tokyo Market
Korean film sales company Finecut reportedly closed distribution deals for two new titles with buyers from multiple countries at a film market held in Tokyo. One is 'Journey There,' starring actor Justin H. Min; the other is Hong Sangsoo's 'Nowhere to Lay My Eyes.'
A film market is where production and sales companies present new titles to distributors from around the world and settle which countries will release them. This time, the Tokyo event became one of the places where the overseas rollout of Korean films was decided.
Sources: hollywoodreporter.com, deadline.com, variety.com
Where 'Journey There' Is Headed
'Journey There' was reportedly sold to KDDI Corporation for Japan, Andrews Film for Taiwan, Izagur Media for Mongolia and Lev Cinema for Israel. Kairos Distribution has also acquired in-flight screening rights, according to reports.
In-flight rights cover showing the film on airplanes, securing a route to passengers beyond the theatrical release.
The film is described as Justin H. Min's first Korean-produced project. Kim Jin-yu directs.
Sources: hollywoodreporter.com, deadline.com, variety.com
Where Hong Sangsoo's New Film Is Headed
'Nowhere to Lay My Eyes' was reportedly sold to Carlotta Films for France, Mimosa Films for Japan, Kligger for Argentina and The Stone and the Plot for Portugal.
The film is described as Hong Sangsoo's 35th feature. It reportedly won three awards at the Locarno Film Festival, an international festival held in Switzerland known for gathering highly artistic work.
Another Finecut title, 'Bori,' reportedly won two awards at the Schlingel International Film Festival.
Sources: hollywoodreporter.com, deadline.com, variety.com
Analysis
What the Tokyo Market Signals
The notable point is that a Korean sales company chose a Tokyo market to announce deals covering Japan and several other countries at once. It shows Asian film markets functioning as places where titles are bought and sold.
Justin H. Min is an internationally known actor, and his lead role reaching multiple countries is one example of how Korean-produced films travel. Hong Sangsoo's work continues to be recognized at artistic festivals, and those films keep heading to France, Japan and beyond.
What has been reported, however, is the contract stage. Actual release dates and the scale of releases remain open questions, and how far these deals lead to theatrical runs will depend on further news.
Sources: hollywoodreporter.com, deadline.com, variety.com
Awards and Where the Films Stand
Three awards at Locarno for 'Nowhere to Lay My Eyes' and two at Schlingel for 'Bori' are evidence of how Finecut's titles are received. Festival wins tend to factor into how distributors choose films.
The 35th-feature milestone for Hong Sangsoo also reflects a director who has kept making films steadily. For overseas distributors, that track record makes it easier to reach audiences already familiar with his past work.
Awards do not guarantee box-office success, though. How widely an artistic film opens depends heavily on the judgment of distributors in each country.
Sources: hollywoodreporter.com, deadline.com, variety.com
What to Watch Next
The question now is how these deals translate into actual releases. In Japan, KDDI Corporation and Mimosa Films are reported to handle the two titles respectively, with release timing and method worth watching.
The in-flight route also shows how films can reach viewers beyond theaters. Movies are increasingly watched in transit and at home as well as on the big screen.
Finecut closing multiple deals in Tokyo offers a hint at where Korean film sales may go next. If follow-up reports reveal release dates or additional territories, the reach of these films will come into sharper focus.
Sources: hollywoodreporter.com, deadline.com, variety.com
Five story prompts by genre, each with a hook and a twist.
Questions
- What is 'Journey There' about?
- It stars Justin H. Min and is directed by Kim Jin-yu. It is described as Justin H. Min's first Korean-produced project.
- What is Hong Sangsoo's new film?
- 'Nowhere to Lay My Eyes' is described as Hong Sangsoo's 35th feature and reportedly won three awards at the Locarno Film Festival.
- What does this mean for Japan?
- 'Journey There' was reportedly sold to KDDI Corporation for Japan, and 'Nowhere to Lay My Eyes' to Mimosa Films. Release timing is expected in further updates.
Sources
- Tokyo: Finecut Inks Deals for Justin H. Min’s ‘Journey There,’ Hong Sangsoo’s ‘Nowhere to Lay My Eyes’ (hollywoodreporter.com)
- Justin H. Min Starrer ‘Journey There’ & Hong Sangsoo’s ‘Nowhere To Lay My Eyes’ Sell To Multiple Territories (deadline.com)
- ‘Beef’ Actor Justin H. Min’s ‘Journey There,’ Hong Sangsoo’s Locarno Winner ‘Nowhere to Lay My Eyes’ Rack Up International Sales for Finecut (variety.com)