The five participants for the second cohort of the Film Frontier Global Networking Program, who will receive 18 months of tailored support to advance their international careers, have been unveiled.
Directors Kaneko Yurina, Kusano Natsuka, Takahashi Sota and Fujimoto Akio, along with producer Yoshihara Hiroyuki, were revealed at an announcement event held during the 38th Tokyo International Film Festival.
The Creator Development Program operates under the Japan Creator Support Fund, established in 2023 within the Japan Arts Council through a subsidy from the Agency for Cultural Affairs. The initiative aims to nurture creative professionals capable of working globally by providing guidance for international development, supporting participation in overseas film festivals and facilitating networking with international industry partners.
The Global Networking Program is one of three Film Frontier initiatives, alongside the Feature Anime Creators in Progress and the Residency Program.
At the announcement event, directors Nakanishi Mai (first cohort) and Yamashita Tsubomi (Residency Program) reported on their current activities. This was followed by a panel discussion featuring selection committee member director Ishikawa Kei, TIFF programming director Ichiyama Shozo and guest Christian Jeune, deputy delegate and director of the film department at the Cannes Film Festival.
“Once again, the applicants were of an extremely high standard, and the selection process was truly challenging,” Ichiyama said. “We chose projects that we believe are highly feasible, and I hope the participants will start working on them as soon as next year.”
Ishikawa offered words of encouragement: “As a director, I focused not on feasibility but purely on the excellence of the proposals. All of the selected projects are highly original and can only be created by these participants. I believe they will even become my competitors for my next work.”
The selected filmmakers expressed their gratitude and enthusiasm. Kaneko noted the value of support throughout the entire filmmaking process, particularly fundraising. Takahashi revealed he has wanted to make a film in Serbia for 12 years, calling the selection “a significant step forward.” Fujimoto expressed pleasure at receiving support while his film “Lost Land” screens at TIFF. Yoshihara said he was grateful his project was chosen despite being difficult to center. Kusano, via video message, emphasized her happiness at dedicating time to research for her next project.
Since October, the program has expanded to include training in English-language pitching and development initiatives aimed at participating in international markets.
Kaneko made her commercial feature debut in 2023 with “People Who Talk to Plushies Are Kind,” which was selected for the Asian New Talent section at the 25th Shanghai International Film Festival. Kusano’s second feature “The Kingdom (or About That House)” (2018) screened at International Film Festival Rotterdam and was selected by the BFI as one of the best films of the year.
Takahashi’s graduation film “Memory Devices” won the Audience Award at PFF Award 2023. He directed “Addressee Unknown” in 2025 as part of NDJC: New Directions in Japanese Cinema. Fujimoto’s latest film “Lost Land,” about Rohingya refugees, won the special jury prize in the Horizons section at the 82nd Venice Film Festival and will be released across Japan in spring 2026.
Yoshihara is currently producing international co-productions including the Japan-Korea feature “3mm Love” and the Japan-Taiwan-Poland co-production “Good Death.”
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