Filmination to Exhibit at Marché du Film 2026 for the Second Consecutive Year
©Yoshinari Nishikôri
Filmination Co., Ltd. (Yokohama, Kanagawa; CEO: Hiroaki Kanamaru), operator of Japan’s first and only online marketplace dedicated to Japanese films and audiovisual content for international buyers, is pleased to announce that it will exhibit at Marché du Film 2026, the film market held alongside the Cannes Film Festival. Following its participation in 2025, Filmination will return to Cannes for a second consecutive year and showcase a curated lineup of Japanese titles for the international market.
©Rainy Blue Film Production Committee
Featured Titles
“A DISTANT NEIGHBORHOOD”
A DISTANT NEIGHBORHOOD (2026, Drama, directed by Yoshinari Nishikori) is the live-action adaptation of a beloved manga by the internationally acclaimed artist Jiro Taniguchi. Set in Kurayoshi, Tottori, it follows Hiroshi Nakahara, who finds himself transported back into his 14-year-old self and is forced to confront memory, family, and the unresolved emotions of his past. With its literary pedigree, emotional depth, and distinctly Japanese sense of nostalgia, the film offers strong appeal for festival, arthouse, and quality streaming audiences.
“RAINY BLUE”
RAINY BLUE (2025, Coming-of-Age Drama, directed by Asuna Yanagi) is a youth ensemble drama centered on a 17-year-old girl in a high-school film club in the Tamana area of Kumamoto. Delicately portraying adolescence, identity, family tension, and the search for one’s own voice, the film combines local authenticity with universal emotional resonance. As a debut feature conceived, written, directed, and headlined by Asuna Yanagi, it is a fresh example of the vitality and sincerity that make contemporary Japanese cinema so compelling to international viewers.
“WHALE RESTAURANT -INCONVENIENT FOOD-”
WHALE RESTAURANT -INCONVENIENT FOOD- (2023, Documentary, directed by Keiko Yagi) is a thought-provoking film that approaches food culture, sustainability, and the politics of representation through the subject of whale cuisine. By combining social debate, culinary tradition, and international perspective, the film demonstrates another strength of Japanese cinema: its ability to turn culturally specific material into globally engaging nonfiction storytelling.
Together, these titles show the breadth of Japanese cinema today: a human drama rooted in a celebrated manga, a sincere and locally grounded coming-of-age story, and a bold documentary engaging with contemporary social issues. This range—emotional nuance, strong authorship, cultural specificity, and universal accessibility—is one of the key reasons Japanese films continue to attract worldwide interest.
Filmination Sales Team
At Marché du Film 2026, Filmination will welcome international buyers and partners at its booth in the UNI JAPAN Pavilion: Palais-1 23.01. To book a meeting during the market, please contact sales@filmination.jp.
In 2026, Japan has been selected as the Country of Honour at Marché du Film, creating a rare opportunity for Japanese cinema to attract heightened international attention. Filmination aims to leverage this momentum to further expand the overseas reach of Japanese films and audiovisual works.
In addition to the featured titles above, Filmination will present a broader slate of Japanese films and audiovisual content across multiple genres, including the upcoming 2026 title THE DARK HORSE directed by HOKUTO OGAWA.
[Featured Titles]
Title 1: A DISTANT NEIGHBORHOOD
Year: 2026
Genre: Drama
Director / Screenplay: Yoshinari Nishikori
Original Work: Jiro Taniguchi
Synopsis: Hiroshi Nakahara, 48, accidentally returns to his hometown of Kurayoshi in Tottori and, after visiting his mother’s grave, awakens as his 14-year-old self. Retaining the memories of his adult life, he relives a pivotal summer and confronts his family, his father’s disappearance, and the emotional questions he never resolved.
URL: https://harukanamachie.jp/
Title 2: RAINY BLUE
Year: 2025
Genre: Coming-of-Age Drama
Director / Screenplay / Lead Cast: Asuna Yanagi
Synopsis: Aoi Nakayama, 17, the sole member of her school’s film club, discovers an old script in the club room one summer afternoon. As she navigates an uneasy relationship with her father, uncertain ties with teachers and classmates, and the pressures placed on her future, the film tenderly captures the everyday emotional turbulence of youth.
URL: https://rainyblue-movie.com/
Title 3: WHALE RESTAURANT -INCONVENIENT FOOD-
Year: 2023
Genre: Documentary
Director: Keiko Yagi
Synopsis: Centered on whale cuisine and the debates surrounding sustainability, science, and cultural practice, this documentary brings together culinary tradition, international voices, and contemporary controversy in a work designed to spark conversation across markets.
URL: https://www.whalerestaurant.jp/
Other title scheduled for sales: THE DARK HORSE (2026, directed by HOKUTO OGAWA)
(Note 1) Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Study Group on the Overseas Expansion of the Film Industry
(Note 2) Source: Fortune Business Insights, Video On Demand Market Size, Regional Analysis & Growth [2027]
Marché du Film Overview
Location: Cannes, France
Dates: May 12–20, 2026
Organizer: Marché du Film
Official Website: https://www.marchedufilm.com/
About FILMINATION Co., Ltd.
Filmination is a technology company built on the concept of “bringing Japanese cinema into the light.” Since launching in 2020 as Japan’s first and only service of its kind, it has developed a specialized online marketplace for the international distribution of Japanese films and audiovisual content. As of the end of September 2025, the platform had more than 200 registered overseas buyer accounts, more than 350 registered licensors, and over 1,000 titles listed in total. Through Filmination, Japanese films purchased on the platform have reached a cumulative overseas audience of more than 16 million viewers. In July 2022, its business model for bringing Japanese independent films to the world was recognized with the Runner-up Grand Prize at the Cool Japan Matching Award 2022.
Company Name: Filmination Inc.
CEO: Hiroaki Kanemaru
Headquarters: Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
Founded: January 2019
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