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Exclusive: Labid Aziz’s People of Culture (PoC) Studios has formed a management joint venture with New Breed, Inc. The venture will represent New Breed’s international artists in the U.S.

New Breed primarily represents music artists from from Japan, Thailand, Philippines, Korea and U.S., and its new Jv with TV and film content house PoC Studios will also help artists from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and other countries across Asia and Africa to break into the States.

The partners are using the K-pop blueprint as inspiration, noting how the genre established itself in the U.S.

The first artist repped is Filipino singer Sheki (aka Sheki Arzaga), who is part of the AKB48 singers from across Asia. PoC teamed with her management last month for a performance at Sunset Boulevard famed dive bar Whiskey a Go Go and was the studio behind the music video for her single ‘Good For Ya.

Hiroshi Shinagawa, Japanese comedian, director, screenwriter, and one-half of the comedy duo “Shinagawa Shoji,” will direct zombie mockumentary feature Among the Dead, Bloody Disgusting has learned. It’s the first screenplay from the freshly-minted father/daughter duo, Andy Cosby and Charlie Danger, collectively known as Midnight Pizza.

This will also be the first project emanating from the co-production and co-financing venture between US-based People of Culture Studios and Japan’s Yoshimoto Kogyo Co.

Among the Dead is an English-language Paranormal Activity-style found footage zombie movie written by esteemed comic book creator, film producer, and screenwriter Andy Cosby and Charlie Danger Cosby, along with some help from Brian Caldirola, Patrick Hasson and Juan Carlos Saizarbitoria.

“As the rest of the world finds its equilibrium in the aftermath of an undead apocalypse, one emotionally unstable man abandons friends and family to go live among the few remaining zombies before they’re all gone.

Japanese comedian Shinagawa Hiroshi has been set as the director of “Among the Dead,” the first project flowing from the co-production and co-financing venture between U.S.-based People of Culture Studios and Japan’s Yoshimoto Kogyo.

The previously-announced project is an English-language, found footage zombie movie in which, following an apocalypse of the undead, one emotionally unstable man abandons friends and family to go live among the few remaining zombies before they’re all gone.

The screenplay was written by father/daughter duo, Andy Cosby and Charlie Danger Cosby, collectively known as Midnight Pizza. Other writing credits go to Brian Caldirola, Patrick Hasson and Juan Carlos Saizarbitoria.

Shinagawa is one-half of the comedy duo Shinagawa Shoji, alongside Tomoharu Shoji, and has a considerable acting filmography in his own right including “Deadman Inferno,” “One Third,” and “Drop.” Shinagawa additionally served as director, writer, and starred in the 2011 comedy-drama “Slapstick Brothers.

Director and comedian Hiroshi Shinagawa has focused his film career on mining the drama, and subsequent comedy found in the relationships between partners and prospective teammates. Debut feature Drop followed a juvenile delinquent group, Manzai Gang features similarly unruly youths as they attempt entry into the world of comedy and last year's One Third, the first film to truly steer away from the director's own life experiences, saw a team of criminals unravel under the weight of suspicion and distrust. The director's latest, Deadman Inferno features the largest cast of characters to date, coupled with an increased scale as an entire island falls victim to a zombie plague.The outbreak occurs when drug-dealing yakuza Yoshida (Shinagawa regular Miyagawa Daisuke), on the lam from his bosses in...

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Montreal’s genre film festival to showcase 135 features and almost 300 shorts across its three-week run from July 14-Aug 4.Scroll down for line-up

Fantasia International Film Festival has unveiled its full line-up for its upcoming 19th edition which kicks off next Tuesday [July 14].

Over its three-week run, the Montreal-based genre film festival will showcase 135 features, including 22 world, 13 international premieres and 21 North American premieres, and almost 300 short films.

Shinji Higuchi’s Attack on Titan will receive its Canadian premiere as the closing film of this year’s edition on Aug 4. The live-action film is based on Hajime Isyama’s steampunk fantasy war opera manga series.

Additional highlights of the final wave of titles include the world premieres of Malik Bader’s thriller Cash Only and Ken Ochiai’s Ninja the Monster, as well as the Canadian premiere of Jonathan Milott & Cary Murnion’s horror comedy Cooties starring Elijah Wood.

A trio of Sion Sono films will also be shown at this...

The 19th Annual Fantasia Film Festival is only a week away, beginning July 14 and running through August 4. And as promised for today, they’ve revealed their full line-up of films screening at 2015’s festival in Montreal.

This year’s line-up boasts 22 World Premieres, 13 International Premieres, and 21 North American Premieres. Both Marvel’s Ant-Man and the animated Miss Hokusai were previously announced, but now they’ve added the much anticipated Attack on Titan movie as their closing night film. Other highlights include the Sundance darlings Cooties, starring Elijah Wood and Rainn Wilson, Cop Car, starring Kevin Bacon and directed by the upcoming Spider-man director Jon Watts, and a trio of films from horror auteur Sion Sono.

See the full line-up announcement of films below via Fantasia’s Facebook page, and be sure to check out their website at fantasiafestival.com for additional information.

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Fantasia 2015:

36 Countries, 135 Features, and Nearly 300 Short Films

- Including 22 World Premieres,...

Okinawa International Movie Festival (Oimf) always held ambitions beyond limiting itself to the traditional role of a film festival. Now in its seventh year the event is really starting to embrace its position as a hub of entertainment encompassing comedy, music, fashion and dance alongside a varied movie lineup. To achieve this end the competition element of the festival has been abandoned to spread media attention more evenly across other areas. In previous years the film section was split into two categories 'Laugh' and 'Peace' reflecting the festival's themes, with prizes awarded to one film in each along with the 'Golden Shisa' Grand Prize. Hiroshi Shinagawa, back this year with Deadman Inferno, was the last director to pick up the Golden Shisa with ensemble crime...

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The 27th Tokyo International Film Festival (Tiff) opened today with the premiere of Disney animation Big Hero 6, presented by its creators including directors Chris Williams and Don Hall.

With a focus on animation this year, the fest’s red carpet – changed back from the ecologically-themed green carpet of previous years – saw Japanese superhero Ultraman and other animation characters along with J-pop group Arashi, prime minister Shinzo Abe and Guardians Of The Galaxy director James Gunn, who is heading the competition jury.

“I have three heroes and they’re all Japanese – Ultraman, Saber Rider and Akira Kurosawa,” said Gunn, declaring himself excited to be in Tokyo and at the festival, looking for unique films with “something specific to say”.

Directors Eric Khoo, John H. Lee, Robert Luketic, casting director Debbie McWilliams and director and comedian Hiroshi Shinagawa join Gunn on the competition jury.

John Lasseter, executive producer of the heavily Japanese-influenced Big Hero 6 said: “This film was...

The full line-up for Tokyo International Film Festival (Tiff) will include 30 world premieres, including five in the main 15-title competition section judged by a jury headed by James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy), organizers announced Tuesday. Films from France, Belgium, Japan, China, Russia and the U.S. will be among those competing for the $50,000 Sakura Grand Prix and other awards, with Gunn joined on the jury by four more directors, Korean John H. Lee (A Moment to Remember), Australian Robert Luketic (Legally Blonde), Singaporean John Khoo (Tatsumi) and Japanese Hiroshi Shinagawa, alongside U.K. casting

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High school is hell. Not many people will argue that point. Everyone there wants to be someone else or be somewhere else. Evidently in Japan there are some manga about juvenile delinquents that portray them as anti-heroes for some kids who need an escape, though some kids might actually aspire join. This is the subject of Hiroshi Shinagawa’s 2009 film Drop (Doroppu) recently released Stateside on DVD from anime giants Funimation.

Read more on DVD Review: Drop (2009)...

The official website for comedian Hiroshi Shinagawa’s second feature film as a writer/director, Manzai Gang, has been updated with a new 98-second trailer.

Shinagawa turned his own autobiographical novel “Drop” into a feature film which was a surprise hit for Kadokawa Pictures last year, so there was a pretty quick turnaround for his next self-adaptation.

The film stars Ryuta Sato as Tobio, the “boke” (funny man) of a manzai comedy duo named “Blackstone” which has been performing together for ten years without much success to show for it. When his partner decides to quit, Tobio gets drunk and is eventually thrown in jail. His tattooed cell mate, Ryuhei (Yusuke Kamiji), was arrested for fighting with a rival street gang called “Skull Kids”. As the two talk, Tobio begins to realize that between Ryuhei’s intimidating demeanor, tattoos, and dreadlocks, he’d be the perfect “tsukkomi” (straight man) to his boke.

Here’s the first real trailer for Hiroshi Shinagawa‘s sophmore directorial effort, Manzai Gang. Shinagawa scored a surprise box office hit last year with “Drop”, a film adaptation of his own best-selling autobiographical novel about his youth as a Be-bop High School-inspired yankee and aspiring stand-up comedian.

Plot: Kurosawa (Ryuta Sato) is a professional comedian who’s been part of an established manzai comedy duo for 10 years. However, his partner suddenly decides to quit when their popularity begins to slide. After drowning his his sorrows with booze, Kurosawa winds up getting himself in trouble and is locked up in a detention center. While there, he meets a tough-looking prisoner named Onizuka (Yusuke Kamiji) who happens to be a naturally talented, albeit unorthodox tsukkomi (straight man). Together, they form a new comedy duo and begin performing on the streets.

“Manzai Gang” will be released in Japan sometime in 2011.

Source: Official...

Here’s the first real trailer for Hiroshi Shinagawa‘s sophmore directorial effort, Manzai Gang. Shinagawa scored a surprise box office hit last year with “Drop”, a film adaptation of his own best-selling autobiographical novel about his youth as a Be-bop High School-inspired yankee and aspiring stand-up comedian.

Plot: Kurosawa (Ryuta Sato) is a professional comedian who’s been part of an established manzai comedy duo for 10 years. However, his partner suddenly decides to quit when their popularity begins to slide. After drowning his his sorrows with booze, Kurosawa winds up getting himself in trouble and is locked up in a detention center. While there, he meets a tough-looking prisoner named Onizuka (Yusuke Kamiji) who happens to be a naturally talented, albeit unorthodox tsukkomi (straight man). Together, they form a new comedy duo and begin performing on the streets.

“Manzai Gang” will be released in Japan sometime in 2011.

Source: Official...

Ryuta Sato and Yusuke Kamiji have been cast as the leads in Manzai Gang, the second film by Yoshimoto Kogyo-repped comedian Hiroshi Shinagawa.

“Drop” was based on Shinagawa’s autobiographical novel recounting his high school days when he was inspired to become a delinquent by the shonen manga “Be-Bop High School”. The film went on to earn over $20 million at the box office for Kadokawa, so they started planning a film adaptation of his followup book as soon as it was published.

In “Manzai Gang”, Sato plays a professional comedian named Kurosawa who’s been part of an established manzai comedy duo for 10 years. However, his partner suddenly decides to quit when their popularity begins to slide. After drowning his his sorrows with booze, Kurosawa winds up getting himself in trouble and is locked up in a detention center. While there, he meets a tough-looking prisoner named Onizuka (Kamiji) who...

Because there isn’t such a thing as too much Japanese teenage delinquency. Following up the release of the second trailer from that film by Takashi Miike this week comes along the second trailer for another Japanese teenage rumble in the concrete jungle film, Drop, starring Narimiya Hiroki and written and directed by Hiroshi Shinagawa.

Drop is based on the autobiographical novel by comedian Hiroshi Shinagawa. The story revolves around his teen years as a wannabe yankee sent to public school after being inspired into delinquency by the shonen manga, “Be-Bop High School” in the early 80s.

It is due in Japanese cinemas in March 2009. Both the new trailer and the teaser are after the break.

There is a part of me that wishes high school was a lot like this. Except I couldn’t be a participant. I’d be more a sideline kind of guy. Not that I hate fighting, it just turns out I’m pretty crap at it! Moving on!!!

Drop comes in as one of the many high school action dramas that are coming out of Japan these days. Drop is based on the autobiographical novel by comedian Hiroshi Shinagawa. The story revolves around his teen years as a wannabe yankee sent to public school after being inspired into delinquency by the shonen manga, “Be-Bop High School” in the early 80s. Now that manga has already been adapted into a film Bi bappu haisukuru going all the way back to 1985. One of Twitch’s former writers Jmaruyama called that film “Fight Club” meets “The Breakfast Club” in his writeup on that film over at IMDb.