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Japanese Culture Ministry allots EUR 200,000 funding for Martinsons' new film "Magic Kimono"

BC, Riga, 22.04.2015.Print version
Latvian director Maris Martinsons' new feature film "Magic Kimono" has received the Japanese Culture Ministry's financial support in the amount of over EUR 200,000, as Edgars Gertners from the film's creative team informed LETA.

This is the first time in the Baltic countries that Japan provides such major financial aid for a film project, which proves that "Magic Kimono" is a project of international scale. Shooting the film will start in Riga and the Japanese city of Kobe in August.

 

The "Magic Kimono" is one out of five films supported by the Japanese Culture Ministry this year. The other films are also directed by internationally-acclaimed film directors, for instance, the 2008 Cannes Grand Prix winner Kiyoshi Kurosawa.

 

A professional jury evaluated not only the scripts and the protagonists in the projects competing for the Japanese Culture Ministry's funds, but also how crews were preparing for work, and the new films' potential at the international arena. The jury included a number of prominent Japanese directors and producers, including the famous Japanese film producer Satoru Iseki.

 

"The decision by the Japanese Culture Ministry is, of course, great news to us as a team, but it is also important for the entire Baltics because it proves that our creative artists are ready to implement not only local, but also international projects. "Magic Kimono" is still in the development stage, but it has already won great recognition – we hope that the film will be enjoyed by audiences across the world, as well as foster economic relations and cooperation between creative artists in Latvia and Japan," said Martinsons.

 

Co-producers from France and Luxembourg are expected to join the project in the near future.


The tragicomedy follows a Japanese woman's efforts to open a sushi restaurant in Riga whilst coming to terms with the rich food culture of Northern Europe and the sudden reappearance of a long-lost husband.

 

The film is co-produced by the Latvian company Krukfilms, Estonia's Oree films and Japan's Loaded Films. The film will be released in 2016.

 

The other supporters of the film are the National Film Center, Boris and Inara Teterev Foundation, State Cultural Capital Foundation, Riga City Council, and "Live Riga".






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