Film Project Yellow Chrysanthemum Joins Tokyo Market
Director André Hayato Saito seeks new international partners for his upcoming feature film project in Japan.
Updated on Oct. 28, 2026 in Foreign
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The feature film Yellow Chrysanthemum has joined the Tokyo Gap-Financing Market as its production team looks to secure final funding. This project is the debut feature from director André Hayato Saito and is currently in the pre-production stage.
Why it matters
The team aims to connect with distributors and sales agents in Asia to expand the film's reach. Establishing a presence in Japan is significant for the project due to its Japanese-Brazilian cultural roots.
The project follows director André Hayato Saito's short film Amarela, which competed for the Palme d'Or at Cannes in 2024. Amarela also achieved success by winning the best live-action short award at Brazil's Grande Otelo Awards.
The players
André Hayato Saito
He is a director whose debut feature film Yellow Chrysanthemum is currently in development.
Mayra Faour Auad
She is the founder of MyMama Entertainment and a producer working on the film project.
The details
The film is set in São Paulo during July 2014 and is being developed as a co-production between Brazil, Japan, Germany, and France. MyMama Entertainment is leading development alongside partners including One Two Films, Loaded Films, and Blue Monday.
Timeline
The film story is set during July 2014.
The short film Amarela competed at Cannes in 2024.
The team plans to film a key sequence in Brazil in November 2026.
Industry Dynamics
This move follows the standard trajectory of international co-productions that utilize events like the Tokyo Gap-Financing Market to bridge financial gaps. It highlights the growing importance of cross-continental partnerships in the independent film sector.
Audiences can expect the film to eventually navigate international distribution channels as a result of these market meetings. The production schedule indicates that viewers will not see the finished feature until well after the key sequence filming in 2026.
The takeaway
Securing early-stage financing through international markets like Tokyo is a vital step for directors debuting their first feature films. Filmmakers often rely on these global forums to find partners who understand the specific cultural nuances of their stories.
Further reading
Explore more projects in the Foreign film section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Variety.
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