Third Window Films Acquires New Asian Titles

Third Window Films have announced that they have acquired the rights to two new Asian comedy films to be released next year: Pang Ho-cheung’s Vulgaria and Shuchi Okita’s The Woodsman And The Rain. The following text has been adapted from the distributor’s press release.

Hong Kong comedy Vulgaria had its European premiere at the prestigious Udine Film Festival.

Both films have been touring many popular international film festivals to rave reviews; with Vulgaria having its European premiere at the prestigious Udine Film Festival and then going on to open the New York Asian Film Festival, while The Woodsman And The Rain won the Special Jury Prize at the Tokyo International Film Festival and then had its European debut at the Terracotta Film Festival before going on to sell-out shows at Udine, Japan Cuts and many more.

Although Third Window Films mainly handle Japanese films nowadays, the acquisition of Vulgaria still fits into their ethos of taking on unique and original films from directors that stick way out from the mainstream. Managing Director Adam Torel explains: “Actually, I’ve been trying to release Pang Ho-cheung films for years and have always had problems negotiating rights with companies who have been selling his films. Ever since I saw You Shoot, I Shoot on VCD when it came out I knew that there was a brand new face of Hong Kong cinema that would go on to be something special, and he has proven it over the years by being one of the only writer/directors in Hong Kong who can make original films with intelligent and unique scripts with witty dialogue over a variety of different genres and topics, something which hasn’t been seen in Hong Kong cinema for a very long time. I’m very happy to have been able to acquire this film and hope that the release of Vulgaria will help many of his other brilliant films filter into the UK.”

The Woodsman And The Rain won the Speical Jury Prize at this year's Tokyo International Film Festival.

On the other hand, The Woodsman And The Rain fits comfortably into Third Window Films’ recent output of Japanese comedies, though slightly more mainstream than some of the more cultish and quirky comedies that the distributor has been handling. “Third Window Films has always tried to work with new talent and try to get them more international attention through distribution in the West” says Torel, “and young director Shuichi Okita, who rose to fame with The Chef Of The South Polar, has shown that he is definitely a director going somewhere!”

Expect to see Vulgaria and The Woodsman And The Rain on DVD and Blu-ray sometime during 2013.

By Mark Player

Mark Player is a writer and film director. Setting up his own production
company in 2009, Mark has helped produce a number of short films; some of…

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