Well Go USA has taken North American rights to acclaimed cult director Takashi Miike’s First Love, which had its world premiere in Cannes as part of the Directors’ Fortnight lineup, Variety reports.
"The Japanese-U.K. collaboration is set during one night in Tokyo and follows Leo, a down-on-his-luck young boxer, who meets his first love, Monica, a call girl and an addict but still an innocent. Monica gets caught up in a drug-smuggling scheme, and the two are pursued by a corrupt cop, a Yakuza, and a female assassin."
First Love marks the fourth collaboration between Academy Award winning producer Jeremy Thomas (The Last Emperor) and Miike (Blade Of The Immortal, Hara-Kiri, 13 Assassins). The film stars Masataka Kubota (13 Assassins, Gintama 2: Rules Are Made to Be Broken, Tokyo Ghoul), Nao Omori (Ichi The Killer), Shota Sometani (Samurai Marathon) and newcomer Sakurako Konishi.
"Takashi Miike is one of the most exciting filmmakers working in international cinema today," said Doris Pfardrescher, President & CEO of Well Go USA. "His new film, First Love, continues his extraordinary track record for interesting and provocative films and audiences will be blown away."
Miike directed from a script written by Masaru Nakamura (Sukiyaki Western Django, The Bird People In China). First Love is produced by Muneyuki Kii, Jeremy Thomas and Misako Saka and executive produced by Shigeji Maeda, Hidehiro Itoh and Takara Kosugi.
The film will be released in select theaters later this year, with a digital and home entertainment release scheduled for early 2020.