Multigenerational Love Story ‘Akashi’ Lands With Canoe Film at Cannes Film Market (EXCLUSIVE)

Canoe Film has boarded multigenerational love story “Akashi” for international sales, excluding Canada and Japan, and is revving up buyer conversations at the Cannes Film Market.

“Akashi” is the feature debut of Vancouver-based director, actor, and writer Mayumi Yoshida, who is attending the market as part of Film Network Access’ 2026 cohort. Her film won the Audience Award at the Vancouver International Film Festival, where it premiered last October, and picked up several accolades during its festival run.

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Inspired by a real-life family secret- the filmmaker’s grandfather carried on an affair throughout his marriage – the story follows a struggling Vancouver artist (Yoshida) who returns to Tokyo for her grandmother’s funeral, begins confronting hidden family truths, and unexpectedly crosses paths with a former love.

“Having ‘Akashi’ at the Cannes Marché this year feels especially meaningful with Japan being the country of honor,” Yoshida told Variety earlier this week. “Cannes has always been a place where international cinema finds momentum, and it’s exciting to present a Japanese Canadian story like ‘Akashi’ on a prestigious global stage.”

“We’ve deeply felt the care and hustle that Canoe Film brings to their incredibly curated slate of projects, and we’re truly honored to be part of it,” added Yoshida, who also announced that Echo Lake Entertainment is now part of her US management.

Filmed mostly in black-and-white in Japan – with Japanese actors – and in Canada, “Akashi” began as a stage play that premiered at the Vancouver Fringe Festival 10 years ago and was developed into an award-winning short film in 2017.

Yoshida began working on a feature-length script in 2018 but hit a roadblock in 2021 when the project didn’t meet Canadian government funder Telefilm’s requirement that projects be primarily in English, French or an Indigenous language.

“I feel like it’s an erasure of identity,” Yoshida told CBC News at the time. “As storytellers, it’s kind of limiting our voices to only those languages instead of authentic language.” Through activist activities, she and her colleagues and other allies helped change policy, and “Akashi” received funding that allowed her to make the film without compromise.

“A theatrical film must be extraordinarily special to find meaningful distribution in the current market,” Canoe Film managing director and owner Caroline Stern told Variety. “I was immediately intrigued by the unexpected in ‘Akashi’ – a first feature that feels like the work of an old master, a contemporary story emerging from a classic aesthetic, a multi-generational love story where love is anything but easy.”

“We’ve begun conversations with buyers in Cannes, and initial feedback has been really encouraging,” she added.

KinoSmith will distribute “Akashi” in Canada, while Rabbit House will release it in Japan.

“Akashi” stars Yoshida (“The Man in the High Castle”), Hana Kino (“Like Father, Like Son”), Ryo Tajima (“Avalanche”), Chieko Matsubara (“Tokyo Drifter”), Kunio Murai (“Godzilla VS Gigan”), Shun Sugata (“Tokyo Vice”), Bun Kimura (“Rental Family”), Sayaka Kunisada, Hiro Kanagawa (“Shōgun”) and Jess McLeod (“Normal”).

The film was produced by Tyler Hagan of Experimental Forest Films (“Meadowlarks”) and Nach Dudsdeemaytha (who also served as editor) of Musubi Arts, his company with Yoshida. The executive producers are Julie Waters, Evan Dyal, Mallory Schwartz, Kathleen Hepburn, and Justin Ambrosino. Hiroko Oda (Flag Inc.) was executive in charge of production in Japan.

Notable creatives include director of photography Jaryl Lim (“Yaga”) and composer Andrew Yong Hoon Lee (“Riceboy Sleeps”).