Nikkatsu Corporation has agreed a co-presentation deal with Brilliant Pictures and Carlotta Films for “Twist & Shoot Mister Suzuki,” a documentary from director Yves Montmayeur examining the life and legacy of Japanese cult filmmaker Suzuki Seijun.
Under the arrangement, Nikkatsu takes on international sales for the film while Carlotta Films holds distribution rights across French-speaking Europe. The documentary is a co-production by Beall Productions and Emerald Films.
Montmayeur, whose “The 1000 Eyes of Dr. Maddin” earned him the Golden Lion for best documentary on Cinema at the 2015 Venice Film Festival, turns to the life and legacy of Suzuki Seijun. The film charts how Suzuki redefined postwar Japanese cinema by defying the conventions of the studio system, forging a style built on garish pop-art imagery and aggressive formal experimentation.
The documentary features contributions from filmmakers including John Woo and Ninagawa Mika, as well as from Suzuki Seijun himself. It is produced by Arthur Gainville and Jean-Marie Nizan, with support from Canal+ OCS, the Centre National du cinéma et de l’image animée, and La Procirep.
“We are very honored to be involved in this project and to help bring renewed attention to one of Nikkatsu’s most influential and visionary filmmakers. We hope this remarkable new film will introduce Seijun Suzuki‘s groundbreaking work to younger generations and inspire new audiences around the world to discover his unique cinematic legacy,” Nikkatsu said in a statement.
Carlotta Films, a French distribution company specializing in heritage cinema and cult titles, has previously produced documentaries on filmmakers including Satoshi Kon and Kinuyo Tanaka. Founded in 1912, Nikkatsu is one of Japan’s oldest studios and a member of the Yomiuri-Nippon TV group.