Japanese Filmmaker Uchiyama Takuya Adapts Novel The Blue Breaks for International Film Market

Japanese filmmaker Uchiyama Takuya is bringing the novel 'The Blue Breaks' to the screen as a Japan-Italy co-production, which was recently presented at the Tokyo Gap-Financing Market.

The Story

The film follows Shukichi, a rootless part-time worker in his thirties living at Japan's western edge who was conceived through sperm donation. His detachment deepens when he learns his live-in girlfriend does not have custody of her son. Encounters with a solitary boxer of Korean descent and a terminally ill young woman named Toko shift his perspective, eventually leading Shukichi and others on a journey to Korea where they confront their lives.

Production Plans

Japanese producer Satoh Naomi of Differentia and Italian co-producer Parsifal Reparato of Antropica are leading the project. The team is currently developing the screenplay, casting, and financing, with filming scheduled for 2027 and completion expected in 2028 ahead of a planned international festival premiere.

Context

The Tokyo Gap-Financing Market operates as a platform within TIFFCOM, the content market linked to the Tokyo International Film Festival, helping producers secure remaining funds and find global partners. Co-productions between Japan and Italy benefit from bilateral frameworks designed to foster cultural and financial ties between the two countries' film industries.