Japanese Film Industry Opens Slowly to Embrace International Influences

Not too long ago, the Japanese film industry was enclosed in a tight domestic bubble, with local filmmakers mostly making local films for local audiences. Japanese studios appreciated international recognition, but regarded foreign sales as a sort of after-dinner mint – a nice extra, but not essential. One reason for this “Japan only” mentality was the size of the local market – still the third-largest in the world in terms of box office — which allowed local films at all budget levels to comfortably recoup at home. Another was the long list of missteps and failures by Japanese filmmakers and… Read Full Article