Saito pitches 'Yellow Chrysanthemum' for Asian distribution

Japanese-Brazilian director André Hayato Saito is seeking final investment for his debut feature, 'Yellow Chrysanthemum,' at the Tokyo Gap-Financing Market.

The film is a co-production involving Brazil, Japan, Germany, and France. It is currently in pre-production after several years of development. The project previously won the TorinoFilmLab Production Award and was selected for Focus Copro at Cannes.

The story is set in São Paulo in July 2014 during the World Cup. It follows Erika, a 16-year-old third-generation Japanese-Brazilian who feels like an outsider. She has rejected her family's roots following the disappearance of her cousin Yam when she was seven. The family has maintained a guilty silence about the event. Erika's isolation breaks down when she befriends Bianca, a classmate grieving her mother. This new connection forces Erika's family to confront their long-held secrets.

Saito stated that the narrative draws on his own childhood memories of communication through silence. He noted that in his household, silence could express love and respect while also concealing pain. His earlier short film, 'Amarela,' also features a character named Erika and explores similar themes of identity and grief. That short competed for the Palme d'Or at Cannes in 2024 and was shortlisted for an Academy Award.

Producer Mayra Faour Auad, founder of MyMama Entertainment, is leading the financing efforts. She explained that the team aims to close the funding gap and connect with distributors and sales agents across Asia. Faour Auad said that finding an audience in Japan holds particular meaning due to the film's cultural roots. MyMama is developing the project with One Two Films, Loaded Films, and Blue Monday.

The production team plans to shoot a key sequence in November at a traditional Japanese Toro Nagashi ceremony in Brazil. This event involves floating lanterns on water as a memorial for the dead. The Tokyo Gap-Financing Market runs as part of TIFFCOM, the content market attached to the Tokyo International Film Festival.

Saito is also developing a second feature titled 'Little Faults.' That project follows an aging Japanese-Brazilian woman in Japan who commits minor offenses to secure a place in prison. It earned a place in Turin's Boost IT Lab earlier this year.