Palme d’Or-winning director Hirokazu Kore-eda is supporting a fundraising effort aimed at making radical reforms to working conditions in Japan’s film industry, as part of his attempts to push the country to better compete with countries like South Korea globally.
K2 Pictures, a Tokyo-based startup led by veteran producer Muneyuki Kii as well as a group of film and animation creators including Kore-eda, is seeking to raise ¥10 billion ($63 million) from domestic and foreign investors by the end of this year, the company said. The fund hopes to help improve incentives for industry workers by boosting financial rewards and ensuring diversity, the director said.
Japanese films are enjoying a period of global success, with "Godzilla Minus One" and "The Boy and the Heron" winning Oscars this year. However, production companies aren’t reaping the benefits and continue to work under tight budget constraints placed by major film distributors.
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