Japanese-Brazilian Drama 'Yellow Chrysanthemum' Joins Tokyo Gap-Financing Market

Overview

"Yellow Chrysanthemum," the debut feature from director André Hayato Saito, is currently participating in the Tokyo Gap-Financing Market. The project, which explores themes of grief and identity within the Japanese-Brazilian community, is now in pre-production following years of development.

Plot and Themes

Set in São Paulo during the 2014 World Cup, the film follows Erika, a 16-year-old grappling with a family secret regarding her cousin Yam’s disappearance years earlier. The narrative examines:

• The cultural tension of a third-generation immigrant feeling like an outsider.
• The impact of family silence regarding past trauma.
• The healing potential of shared grief through Erika’s friendship with a classmate named Bianca.

Development and Production

• Production Team: The project is a co-production between Brazil, Japan, Germany, and France, led by producer Mayra Faour Auad of MyMama Entertainment.
• Status: Having earned the TorinoFilmLab Production Award and participated in Cannes’ Focus Copro, the team aims to secure remaining funding in Tokyo. Filming for a key sequence is scheduled for November in Brazil.
• Creative Vision: Saito, known for his award-nominated short film "Amarela," intends to challenge audiences with a non-conventional exploration of family dynamics.

Future Projects

Director André Hayato Saito is simultaneously developing a second feature titled "Little Faults," a story about an aging Japanese-Brazilian woman navigating life in Japan, which has been featured in the Boost IT Lab in Turin.

Interested parties can follow the progress of "Yellow Chrysanthemum" through official announcements released during the Tokyo International Film Festival's content market, TIFFCOM.