Japans Free Stone Takes Aim at the Cannes Market With The Gun

September 2024 · 4 minute read

The notion that possessing a firearm, for most people in a civilized society, is a rare and fascinating thing is the ideological underpinning of Japanese thriller “The Gun 2020.”

The pitch may have its limits in the U.S., but in the hands of director Masaharu Take (“100 Yen Love” “Netflix’ “The Naked Director”) the story flows from a student’s accidental discovery of a handgun, right when she needs it, through to the slaying of a neighbor, and to a police chase. Along the way the back story of both the gun and the woman become clearer.

The film stars “Shoplifters” standout Lily Franky as a detective, alongside Kyoko Hinami and Koichi Sato. It is conceived as a sequel of sorts to Take’s “The Gun” which also started with the discovery of a weapon, and was presented at the autumn 2018 edition of the Tokyo International Film Festival.

Related Stories

Illustration of a digital brain surrounded by film festival awards laurels VIP+

What Film Fund From AI Startup Runway Means for Content’s Future

JOKER: FOLIE A DEUX, (aka JOKER 2), Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn, 2024. © Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection

'Joker 2' Axed Scene of Lady Gaga's Lee Kissing a Woman at the Courthouse Because 'It Had Dialogue in It' and 'Got in the Way' of a Music Moment

Heading to a commercial release, through the powerful Toho, “The Gun 2020” is one of two additions to the sales slate of Free Stone Productions. The other, in an altogether different register, is “Our Story.”

Popular on Variety

The film pitches together a disillusioned high school student and his shining star female classmate. Both are prodigies who have written novels, but with contrasting levels of success. When the two are forced to work together on their next book they are obliged to discover more about themselves, each other and, eventually their secrets. The film is directed by Shigeaki Kubo and stars Taiki Sato and Kanna Hashimoto.

Both films are being presented at the virtual edition of the Cannes Market. Free Stone Productions, which also dabbles in local and international public relations, is also handling sales on “Dancing Mary,” by the always intriguing Sabu, and Hana Matsumoto’s “Kiss Cam!” (aka “Come on, Kiss Me Again!) which features a company whose task is to patch up broken hearted couples.

All four films are set for 2020 theatrical distribution in Japan. But, with the Japanese releasing calendar only slowly coming together again after the coronavirus hiatus, only one, “The Gun” has locked in a firm date – July 10.

Free Stone is also handling feature-length documentary, “Quest for the Kraken: Mystery of the Deep.” Directed by Shinichi Motoki, the film is available in 75-minute and 50-minute formats.

Read More About:

Jump to Comments

More from Variety

Most Popular

Must Read

Sign Up for Variety Newsletters

By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy.We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. // This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Variety Confidential

A Variety and iHeartRadio Podcast

ncG1vNJzZmiukae2psDYZ5qopV9nfXN8jp%2BgpaVflsCqrY6cmKemlah6rq3RpJytZZansqZ50q2mp51dn66xrc1mq6GdXZzCr3mQa2ptbmNtfXeCjg%3D%3D