Markets

Costume drama <The Return will have its first tv world screening premiere at Mipcom 2019 (Cannes, 14th-17th October) at the Palais des Festivals on Tuesday 15th October, 11.30-13.45 at Auditorium A.
Based on a story by award-winning writer Shuhei Fujisawa “The Return” stars Tatsuya Nakadai , a veteran of director Akira Kurosawa's historical epics, with Takako Tokiwa and Jiro Sato, who will be in Cannes for the premiere. "The Return" was directed and co-written by Shigemichi Sugita for Japan's Samurai Drama Channel, a pay TV service on Japanese cable and satellite platforms that specializes in historical movies and TV programs.

Shigemichi Sugita says, "The Return is a drama about universal values. A person has made a mistake he wants to correct late in life, and he's looking for a way to do that."

Speaking about the visual production values, Sugita adds, "We wanted to capture the most realistic historical detail possible. We've tried to do this many times in the past, but now we think we've succeeded thanks to 8K technology."

The main character is an old outlaw who returns to his hometown after many years of wandering the land and living a gambler's life. While reflecting on the sins he committed in the past, he meets a young woman in trouble and decides to save her, and himself, in the process.

The drama was filmed in the mountainous splendour of central Japan, which retains the atmosphere of the Edo Period (1603-1868) in which the story is set.

The 120-minute special drama was coproduced by Nihon Eiga Broadcasting Corporation along with its production committee, and Kansai TV will handle international sales.