Global Flicks: Kore-eda Hirokazu’s series ‘Asura’ set to release on netflix, Pródigo Films enters partnership with IAG
Toshin Igho
Africa: Amazon Prime Video has gained the worldwide rights for Suspicion by Nigerian director Toshin Igho is set to be released on global streaming on November 28. The cast includes Stan Nze (RattleSnake: The Ahanna Story, Colourless, The Blind Date) who stars as Voke, a man with ancient Juju powers who goes on a revenge tour for the murder of his goddaughter. The ensemble cast includes Omowunmi Dada, Kalu Ikeagwu, Uzor Arukwe, Shaffy Bello, and Richard Mofe-Damijo, who also serves as executive producer.
Asia: Japanese film director Kore-eda Hirokazu has directed and started post-production on a new family drama series titled Asura for Netflix. The series is a modern take on Like Asura, a family drama series that aired in 1979 and was originally based on a novel of the same name by Mukoda Kuniko. Set in 1979, the story follows four sisters — Tsunako, Makiko, Takiko, and Sakiko whose lives are in turmoil after discovering about their father’s affair. Their lives are interconnected through Buddhist cosmology in demigods known as “asura”, whose differing emotions and views on life create conflict and growth in the characters. The four sisters are portrayed by Miyazawa Rie, Ono Machiko, Aoi Yu, and Hirose Suzu, and was developed by Yagi Yasuo, who previously worked with Mukoda before his death The series premieres on January 9th, 2025.
Another film set to come out from Malaysian director Adrian Teh’s thriller film Magik Rompak. Starring Sharnaaz Ahmad (Polis Evo 3), Zul Ariffin (Sheriff), Amelia Henderson (Pulau), and Elvina Mohamad (Zombitopia), the film sees a magician create a ragtag crew for a high-stakes heist of a priceless gem. The shoot for the film started on November 9th and will be filmed entirely in Malaysia over a 50-day production schedule. This film marks the 13th collaboration between Seh and Lim Teck, one of the producers of the film.
Indian Director Tisca Chopra’s film Saali Mohabbat had its world premiere at the 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa. The film stars Radhika Apte, Divyenndu, and Anshumaan Pushkar and follows a housewife entangled in a plot filled with infidelity, manipulation, and murder. The film is a collaboration between Jio Studios and Stage5 Productions. The film premiered at the IFFI on November 22 and the festival ran from November 20th to the 28th.
In addition to creating new films, India’s Film Heritage Foundation (FHF) has teamed up with France and Sri Lanka to bolster film preservation efforts in a two-year project named the France-India-Sri Lanka Cine Heritage (FISCH). The project started on November 14th with a film restoration workshop first centered on the restoration of the 1978 Sinhala-language coming-of-age drama film Gehenu Lamai directed by Sumitra Peries and produced by Lester James Peries. In a statement by Thierry Mathou, the French Ambassador to India he states,
“The Indian film industry is one of the largest and most prolific in the world. Conserving, restoring and making films from India and Sri Lanka available to audiences is a way to preserve a part of the world’s cultural heritage for future generations.”
South Korean director Shin Youn-Shick’s sports drama film One Win has opened in South Korea. The film follows a struggling volleyball coach who is hired by a women’s volleyball team in need of winning one game. The film stars Song Kang-Ho (Parasite and Snowpiercer), Park Jeong-Min, Jang Yoon-Ju (Ballerina), Park Myoung-Hoon (Deliver Us From Evil), and Lee Min-Ji. There is no information yet on whether there will be an international release.
Stelana Kilris - imdb
Middle East: Stelana Kilris, previous director of Netflix’s Find Me Falling is set to start production on an upcoming feature with an international cast. Titled Apart from Her, the screenplay was written by Kilris and features Palestinian actress Leem Lubany (known for 2013’s Emmy-nominated film Omar), Luke Pasqualino (The Musketeers), and Girley Jazama (Under The Hanging Tree). The story is set in 1974 when a young woman flees the war-torn Cyprus through an arranged marriage and travels to South Africa where she meets a woman with a mysterious past. The film will be shot in Cyprus and is also co-produced by Kilris herself along with Susan Simnett and Jamie Harvey from Over The Fence Films (U.K.), and Ioanna Bolomyti from Atalante Productions (Greece).
Prodigo
Latin America: Luciana Piantancida, best known for her directorial debut feature Los Ausentes, is showing her recently completed second film All The Strength to Ventana Sur’s Copia Final where it seeks distribution, sales agents, and festival placements. The film follows Marlene, a 47-year-old who works as a caretaker for an elderly woman. After her friend goes missing, she begins to uncover a mystery that leads her to discover women with supernatural powers, like herself. The Argentine writer-director-producer told Variety,
“The film plays with genre conventions: it attempts to be a crime story without involving the police. Instead of a private detective, the protagonist is an older migrant woman who follows the clues whenever her job allows. As the investigation unfolds, the film shifts toward the fantasy genre, but ultimately, it seeks to address a social issue from a deeply human perspective, placing those who are typically marginalized at the center of the narrative,”
Production of the film had to be done in Bueno Aires instead of Argentina due to the defunding of the film industry in Argentina. How this will affect the Argentine film industry will be an ongoing story.
The Brazilian production company Pródigo Films has signed with Independent Artist Group for representation. With their previous work including Anderson Spider Silva, the Emmy-nominated MMA series, Pródigo Films’ catalog, and upcoming projects will be given a chance to expand to international markets. Gabriela Matarazzo, Director of Development at Pródigo stated,
“Signing with IAG marks a key milestone in Pródigo Films’ strategy to expand our international footprint. We are strong advocates of positioning Brazil as a premier global production hub, utilizing the country’s exceptional talent alongside its diverse biomes and landscapes that deliver unmatched cinematic experiences at competitive costs. For us, placing Brazil at the center of the global production map is vital not only for our company but also for the growth of our country’s economy and film industry, creating opportunities for our talented artists and amplifying the cultural impact of filmmaking on our society.”
This partnership is set to allow Pródigo Films to produce a vast array of content for streaming platforms including feature films, television shows, streaming films, scripted and unscripted series, and documentaries.
Dominican director Natalia Cabral has finished filming her fifth feature-length film La peli de mi tío. Co-directed by Catalan Oriol Estrada, her longtime collaborator in her past four films, the film follows the relationship of a man and his niece who speak to each other after a long time on the set of an action film. This sets the stage for their relationship and how it develops during a tumultuous filming schedule. The project is looking for sales and distribution agents to be released next year.
The Uruguayan brother director duo Bernard and Rafael Antonaccio completed filming on their thriller film Matarifes on September 14th and has entered post-production. Co-produced by Uruguayan companies Monarca Films and Nadador Cine, the film is set in the early 1970s when a Spanish immigrant in Uruguay named José starts up a black market business that initially does well but leads to him distancing himself from his daughter Rosita. The film is set for a commercial and theatrical release in 2026.
Nabhaan Rizwan - Jeff Spicer / Stringer
Europe: Following the cancellation of Netflix's Greek mythology comedy series, Kaos, actor Nabhaan Rizwan has been cast in the upcoming BBC rom-com drama Film Club alongside Suranne Jones (Doctor Foster). The show follows a weekly film club and its members that is turned upside down by shocking news that changes their lives. Aimee Lou Wood (Sex Education) was previously cast to star as the series lead Evie and co-wrote the series with Ralph Davis (House of the Dragon). The show has begun filming in Manchester and will air on BBC iPlayer and BBC Three in the U.K. next year.
