By Variety | Created at 2025-03-19 06:00:45 | Updated at 2025-03-20 15:56:30
1 day ago
Japanese director Chie Hayakawa, whose “Plan 75” received a special mention at Cannes, has secured Indonesian powerhouse KawanKawan Media as a co-production partner for her upcoming film “Renoir,” it was revealed at the Hong Kong FilMart.
KawanKawan is collaborating with Japan’s Loaded Films, with Eiko Mizuno-Gray and Jason Gray serving as producers. Indonesia joins an already robust international co-production spanning Japan, France, Singapore, and the Philippines.
Hayakawa’s new film tells the poignant story of Fuki, a quirky and sensitive 11-year-old girl navigating a challenging summer during Japan’s late 1980s bubble economy. The coming-of-age drama follows Fuki as she copes with a terminally ill father and stressed-out working mother while encountering various adults dealing with their own struggles.
KawanKawan is the production company behind Makbul Mubarak’s Venice winner “Autobiography” and Amanda Nell Eu’s Cannes-winning “Tiger Stripes.”
“We are thrilled to work alongside Loaded Films on Chie Hayakawa’s ‘Renoir.’ We have known each other as good friends with Eiko, Jason, and Chie and are very familiar with the project. Indeed, we are joining because this is such a strong story and has such strong storytelling, and we believe this collaboration will resonate more feasibly with audiences globally. Specifically, we also want to bring the film to Indonesian audiences,” said Yulia Evina Bhara, founder of KawanKawan Media.
The film’s cast features emerging talent Yui Suzuki as Fuki, alongside Hikari Ishida and Lily Franky in pivotal roles.
“Renoir” has already secured Goodfellas for world sales rights ahead of its presentation at the Cannes Film Market. Mizuno-Gray of Loaded Films said that the collaboration “enables us to reach audiences not only in Indonesia but also throughout Southeast Asia.”
Philippine production companies Daluyong Studios, which previously co-produced Hayakawa’s “Plan 75,” and Nathan Studios have also joined the international production team.
