Bitter End in Japan has made an international sale of “SAI: Disaster,” a suspense feature that was selected as the main competition at the San Sebastian Film Festival.
The film is directed by Gogatsu, a duo of Seki Yutaro (“roleless”) and Hirase Kentaro (“Exit 8”) and features famous Japanese actors Kagawa Teruyuki (“Tokyo Sonata”, “Creepy”) and Anne Nakamura (“Grand Maison Paris”).
Adapted from the Wowow drama series “Sai,” which aired earlier this year, “Sai: Disaster,” follows six seemingly unrelated individuals, unaware that the mysterious man has already permeated his world. Without warning, disasters come down to each individual’s lives.
“In ‘Spirit: Disaster’, we’re going to portray this ‘invisible fear’ in a way we’ve never seen before,” Hirase said. “People called it a ‘disaster’. It shatters our lives without warning, mercy or even malice. It is horribly violent, but its presence cannot be detected until it suddenly attacks. ”
In addition to “SAI Disaster,” Bitters End’s fall sales lineup includes “Two Seasons, Two Strangers,” the winner of Miyake Sho’s Locarno Golden Leopard. Sakamoto Yukari’s “White Flowers and Fruits” has been selected as San Sebastian’s new directorial section.
Bitters End has spent 30 years in the business and has established itself as a leading Japanese distributor, dealing with films from internationally acclaimed filmmakers such as Hamaguchi Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Bong Jon-Ho, Dardenne Brothers and Jia Zhangke. Recent acquisitions include “Anola,” “Sex/Love/Dream,” “Caught in the Tide,” “Lachimera,” and “The Perfect Day.” The company also produced and was behind the Academy Award-winning “Driving My Car.”
