AFM: Participant Media Strikes Output Deal With Japan’s Gaga

Patrick Frater

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Japanese distributor Gaga Corporation has struck an output deal with U.S. financier and producer Participant Media, giving it the Japanese release of Participant’s films that are financed via its investment in Amblin Partners. The deal was announced on the sidelines of the American Film Market in Santa Monica.

Participant and Gaga previously worked together on recent films including “The Great Invisible,” “A Most Violent Year,” “On the Basis of Sex,” and last year’s Oscar best picture winner “Green Book,” which grossed nearly $20 million at the Japanese box office.

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“We highly respect and trust David and his creative teams’ tasteful and commercial eyes such as ‘Green Book,’ as well as ‘Roma.’ We are hoping that we can work with Participant not only as a film distribution partner in Japan, but also in film productions in the near future,” said Gaga chairman Tom Yoda.

Participant positions itself as a media company dedicated to entertainment that inspires audiences to engage in positive social change. It maintains a worldwide network of traditional and digital distribution, aligned with partnerships with key non-profit and NGO organizations.

Gaga has distributed imported titles including “Untouchable,” “The King’s Speech,” “La La Land,” “Shoplifters.” It is also involved in international right sales, with rights often shared with other overseas-based sales agents. These stretch from Koreeda Hirokazu’s “I Wish” through his latest French-Japanese co-production “The Truth.” Gaga is also involved in production and distribution of Japanese animations, including “Okko’s Inn” and “Seven Days War.” It established its in-house animation producing company GAGA Animations Company earlier in 2019.

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