Executive Overview
In a decisive move to bolster the international footprint of Japanese independent cinema, Tokyo-based entertainment powerhouse Atmovie Inc. is set to stage the premier "Japan Pitch" showcase at the prestigious 31st Busan International Film Festival. This high-stakes industry event serves as the culmination of the inaugural cycle of the Atmovie Global Track, a pioneering talent accelerator designed to bridge the gap between local Japanese creators and the global financing, production, and distribution markets.
The initiative highlights four distinct filmmaking voices—Kinoshita Yusuke, Saito Shiori, Joya Yoshimi, and Arai Soji—who have been selected to present their original feature-length fiction and documentary projects to an audience of international buyers, sales agents, festival programmers, and seasoned producers. Supported heavily by the Japan Creator Support Fund through the auspices of the Japan Arts Council, the showcase underscores a broader national push to foster cross-border co-productions and elevate Japanese narratives on the world stage.
As the global film industry increasingly looks toward cross-cultural collaborations, streaming integration, and localized authenticity with universal themes, the Japan Pitch arrives at a critical juncture. Over a carefully structured two-day itinerary at the Centum Hotel Emerald Hall, these four fellows will pitch on stage, engage in targeted one-on-one matchmaking sessions, and participate in exclusive networking receptions. This comprehensive report explores the institutional backing of the accelerator, details the professional backgrounds and projects of the participating filmmakers, and evaluates the strategic outlook for Japanese cinema in the rapidly shifting global marketplace.
Detailed Chronology & Event Itinerary
The meticulously planned two-day showcase at the 31st Busan International Film Festival is structured to maximize engagement between the Japanese creators and the international industry elite. By blending formal stage presentations with intimate matchmaking, Atmovie Inc. aims to transition these compelling concepts from development slates into viable international co-productions.
Day One: October 11 – The Inaugural Pitches
The core of the showcase kicks off at the Centum Hotel Emerald Hall, where the spotlight turns directly to the creative slates of the four fellows.
- Morning Session: Opening remarks from Atmovie Inc. executives and representatives of the Japan Creator Support Fund, outlining the mandate of the Global Track accelerator and the strategic importance of international co-productions.
- Afternoon Showcase: The official Japan Pitch presentations begin. Each filmmaker is given a dedicated platform to pitch their original feature projects to a curated room of international buyers, co-producers, and festival gatekeepers. The presentations incorporate visual pitch decks, conceptual teasers, and a comprehensive breakdown of financing structures and target international demographics.
Day Two: October 12 – Strategic Matchmaking & Networking
Translating interest into actionable development partnerships requires deep, one-on-one discourse, which forms the foundation of the second day’s agenda.
- Individual Meetings: The day is dedicated to pre-scheduled, one-on-one meetings between the filmmakers and visiting international producers, financiers, sales agents, and festival professionals. These closed-door sessions allow creators to deep-dive into equity partnerships, soft-money opportunities, and international distribution strategies.
- Afternoon Second Round & Reception: A secondary pitching session accommodates industry professionals arriving late or requiring follow-up consultations. The formal program concludes with a high-profile networking reception. Co-hosted by Atmovie Inc., this gathering provides a relaxed yet professional environment for informal deal-making, relationship-building, and cultural exchange between Japanese creators and their international counterparts.
Supporting Context & Metrics: The Atmovie Global Track and Institutional Backing
To fully understand the weight of the Japan Pitch at Busan, one must examine the institutional framework that birthed the Atmovie Global Track. Based in the creative hub of Shibuya, Tokyo, and led by CEO Moriya Takeshi, Atmovie Inc. has long maintained a formidable reputation in producing and overseeing high-end television dramas, major feature films, and diverse streaming content. However, recognizing the structural barriers Japanese creators historically face when attempting to enter Western and pan-Asian co-production markets, the company launched the Global Track.
The accelerator is heavily backed by the Japan Creator Support Fund, an initiative facilitated through the Japan Arts Council. This state-supported backing reflects a modern economic realization within Japan’s cultural sectors: domestic box office returns alone are no longer sufficient to guarantee the explosive growth and global relevance of Japanese intellectual property. By injecting capital, international mentorship, and strategic workshop opportunities into the development pipelines, organizations like the Japan Arts Council and Atmovie Inc. are systematically rewriting the playbook for Japanese indie cinema.
This initiative does not exist in a vacuum. Over the past decade, international interest in Japanese storytelling has reached unprecedented heights, fueled by the global expansion of streaming platforms and the critical success of auteurs like Ryusuke Hamaguchi and Hirokazu Kore-eda. Yet, while established masters easily secure cross-border financing, emerging and mid-career indie filmmakers often struggle to navigate the complex landscape of international co-production treaties, foreign soft money, and global legal frameworks. The Atmovie Global Track was specifically architected to fill this void, providing rigorous script-doctoring, pitch-training, and direct access to international markets—culminating in this strategic deployment at the Busan International Film Festival, one of Asia’s most influential film markets.
Meet the Filmmakers and Their Projects
The four creators chosen for the inaugural Atmovie Global Track cohort represent a diverse cross-section of modern Japanese cinematic talent, blending international lived experiences with deeply rooted cultural perspectives.
1. Kinoshita Yusuke – Children of the Empire
A filmmaker whose career bridges continents, Kinoshita Yusuke was born in Tokyo and raised in Australia before returning to Japan to hone his craft at Waseda University. He first made industry waves with his short film Birdcage, which earned the runner-up position for the grand prize and audience award at the prestigious 2003 Pia Film Festival.
Kinoshita’s artistic voice matured rapidly; his subsequent feature film, Water Flower, secured a coveted screening at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2006. Demonstrating his ability to collaborate within prominent auteur circles, Kinoshita directed a segment in the acclaimed anthology feature Ten Years Japan. Executive produced by Palme d’Or winner Kore-eda Hirokazu, the project screened at the Busan International Film Festival before enjoying a successful theatrical release across Japan, Hong Kong, and South Korea.
His latest endeavor, Children of the Empire, has already gained significant critical momentum, having been selected for the VIPO Film Lab NY Script Workshop prior to its inclusion in the Atmovie Global Track. To further solidify his production infrastructure, Kinoshita founded the production company Spectra Inc. earlier this year, positioning himself as both a visionary director and an entrepreneurial producer capable of managing complex international projects.
2. Saito Shiori – Omusubi
Representing the documentary sector of the showcase, Saito Shiori is developing her highly anticipated feature documentary debut, Omusubi. Saito brings a wealth of international production experience to the table, having spent nearly a decade residing in New York City. During her time in the United States, she honed her skills as a director and editor across a wide variety of documentary and travel programming.
In 2021, Saito returned to her roots to co-found the Tokyo-based production company Mimosa LLC. Her directorial eye is further evidenced by her acclaimed documentary short Floating in Between. With Omusubi, Saito applies her sharp, empathetic observational style to a narrative canvas suited for global documentary buyers seeking authentic human stories that transcend cultural boundaries.
3. Joya Yoshimi – Almost Goodbye
Joya Yoshimi is stepping onto the international stage with her feature directorial debut, Almost Goodbye. Joya’s professional journey in the arts is marked by diverse industry experience; she initially worked as a production manager in the high-pressure world of commercial advertising before relocating to Canada to undertake intensive overseas production work.
Returning to Japan in 2020 to focus entirely on narrative directing, Joya quickly built an impressive catalog of short films. Her credits include Be Happy Anyway, Doughnuts Mori, Someday, and Colors Under the Streetlights—the latter of which achieved distinction as an official selection in the Vancouver International Film Festival’s competitive short film program. Almost Goodbye leverages her international perspective and precise pacing, making it a prime prospect for art-house distributors and festival programmers alike.
4. Arai Soji – Their Own Sake
A uniquely multifaceted talent, Arai Soji is a Tokyo-based actor and producer whose career spans some of the most ambitious international film and television productions of the last decade. As an actor, Arai has worked under the direction of master filmmakers including Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Guan Hu, Takashi Miike, and Danielle Arbid. His recognizable on-screen presence has graced high-profile international streaming hits and television series, including Canal+’s Singapura, Apple TV+’s multi-generational epic Pachinko, and HBO’s gritty crime drama Tokyo Vice.
Beyond his acting credits, Arai has carved out a formidable reputation as an ambitious producer. His work includes the Japan-Korea co-produced short Route 7, which captured the audience award at the Busan International Short Film Festival and earned market pick status at the prestigious Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival. He also produced the feature co-production The Penthouse.
Arai’s latest producing and creative vehicle, Their Own Sake, has already established an international pedigree. The project was previously showcased at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival under the Atmovie Global Track umbrella, and his broader creative portfolio includes the feature At the River’s Edge, which recently secured a coveted spot in the feature competition at the 31st Split Film Festival. At Busan, Arai brings a rare combination of frontline performance experience and master-level producing acumen.
Official Statements and Industry Perspectives
While formal statements from the Japan Arts Council and Atmovie Inc. leadership continue to echo through industry circles, the broader consensus among festival delegates points toward a paradigm shift in how Asian cinema is funded and distributed.
Industry analysts observing the buildup to the 31st Busan International Film Festival note that initiatives like the Atmovie Global Track represent a vital evolution from traditional, insular domestic funding models toward agile, globalized co-production networks. By removing administrative and financial barriers, organizations are ensuring that Japanese creators are no longer isolated within their domestic market.
Moriya Takeshi, CEO of Atmovie Inc., has consistently emphasized that the future of Japanese content lies in retaining creative integrity while forging robust international partnerships. The collaboration with the Japan Creator Support Fund has provided the financial runway necessary to turn this vision into a tangible reality, culminating in the high-stakes platform provided by Busan’s vast industry market.
Future Outlook
The staging of the Japan Pitch at the 31st Busan International Film Festival is more than a two-day networking event; it serves as a litmus test for the future of internationalizing independent Japanese cinema. As Kinoshita Yusuke, Saito Shiori, Joya Yoshimi, and Arai Soji present Children of the Empire, Omusubi, Almost Goodbye, and Their Own Sake, they carry the hopes of an entire generation of filmmakers looking to break past geographic and linguistic barriers.
Looking ahead, the success of these four projects will likely serve as a blueprint for future iterations of the Atmovie Global Track and similar accelerator programs across Asia. If these filmmakers successfully secure international co-producers, presales, and festival slots in the wake of the Busan showcase, it will validate the strategy of state-backed, private-sector-driven talent incubation.
Ultimately, the Japan Pitch signals a bold, outward-looking chapter for Japanese storytelling—one where unique domestic narratives are amplified by global capital, cross-cultural collaboration, and a relentless commitment to cinematic excellence. As the doors of the Centum Hotel Emerald Hall swing open this October, the global film community will be watching closely to see which of these visionary projects takes the next step toward international screens.
