IMAGICA GROUP Film Project: "Maria" Selected by Film Professionals Including Film Director Hirokazu Kore-eda at 78th Cannes Film Festival

IMAGICA GROUP Inc., headquartered in Tokyo, launched the IMAGICA GROUP Film Project as a new challenge to celebrate its 90th anniversary in 2025. The outline of the project, which will be the company's first original film production, was announced on Wednesday, May 14, with "Maria" being selected as its first film at a press conference held at the Japan Pavilion of the 78th Cannes International Film Festival.

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Shunjiro Nagase, Representative Director, President and CEO of IMAGICA GROUP Inc. delivered opening remarks, followed by greetings from Hirokazu Kore-eda (Film Director), Shozo Ichiyama (Programming Director, Tokyo International Film Festival) and Yuka Sakano (Executive Director, Kawakita Memorial Film Institute), who served as jury members for the selection of the winning project.

Producer of the first award winning project "Maria," Hana Tsuchikawa (Producer at OLM, Inc.), gave her impressions as the first winner, and the writer and director, Tomoka Terada, who was unable to appear at the conference in person, shared her feelings and introduced her project in a video message. The press conference ended with the jury's overall comments on the winning film production project.

Comments from Press Conference Speakers

Shunjiro Nagase (President and CEO of IMAGICA GROUP Inc.)

"We have been considering what we should do now to support the visual culture of the future. In the process, we have come to the conclusion that it is important to bring new talents and works to the world and pursue the possibilities of Japanese visual expression on the global stage, and launched this project.

"The IMAGICA GROUP's goal with this project is to realize the entry into and winning of awards at international film festivals. We asked three people to evaluate the projects: Director Hirokazu Kore-eda, Tokyo International Film Festival Programming Director Shozo Ichiyama, and Executive Director Yuka Sakano of the Kawakita Memorial Film Institute."

Outline of the IMAGICA GROUP Film Project

Please see below link for further details and data including application requirements and official materials (photos, movie footage, press release):

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/11pBQrHQdNXVJKnBm_EhmxC0IYi-jiYPl

IMAGICA GROUP 90th Anniversary Special Site

https://www.imagicagroup.co.jp/90th-anniversary/en/