Vue Lumière will release Kokuho, the highest-grossing Japanese live-action film in history, in cinemas across the UK and Ireland.
Directed by Lee Sang-il and written by Sadoko Okudera, the Kabuki drama has grossed $125 million in Japan since its release. The film was nominated for Best Makeup and Best Hairstyling at the 98th Academy Awards after being shortlisted for Best International Feature Film in Japan in December.
The film premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival Directors’ Fortnight. Kokuho will be screened at the Glasgow Film Festival on March 1st and 2nd and the Dublin International Film Festival on March 1st, prior to its theatrical release in the UK and Ireland.
Based on Shuichi Yoshida’s 2018 novel, this period drama centers on the rivalry and friendship between two men in the kabuki world over a 50-year period. The story, set in Nagasaki in 1964, follows 15-year-old Kikuo, who, after the death of his yakuza father, ends up being mentored by a famous kabuki actor. While training alongside his actor son, Shunsuke, the two embark on parallel journeys, with one eventually becoming a master of the traditional art form.
The cast includes Ryo Yoshizawa, Ryusei Yokohama, Mitsuki Takahata, Shinobu Terajima, Min Tanaka, and Ken Watanabe.
Variety’s review of the film said, “A vivid depiction of the life of a legendary kabuki actor, ‘Kokupo’ joins a rich tradition of films depicting the personal costs of art-making.”
Vue Lumière, the distribution arm of European film chain Vue, releases 10 to 12 independent international titles each year. The company’s upcoming productions include “Little Amelie” starring Benedict Cumberbatch, “Things with Feathers” and “100 Nights of Hero” starring Emma Corrin and Nicholas Galitzine.
Kokuho will be released in cinemas in the UK and Ireland from April 3rd.
