The producer behind Edward Yang's Yi Yi calls for renewed Asian filmmaking partnerships amid theatrical cinema crisis

Kawai Shinya (provided by Emu Films)

Edward Yang's Yi Yi won Best Director at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival and is now regarded as a 21st-century masterpiece. Behind it stands Japanese producer Kawai Shinya (河井真也, 68), who spearheaded the late-1990s "Y2K Project" uniting Asia's finest directors for global markets. Visiting Korea for the film's 4K remastered re-release, Kawai warned that "if we continue to neglect this, theaters will disappear," calling for Asian creators to reunite. His cross-border collaboration model from 25 years ago is gaining renewed urgency.

Kawai Shinya joined Fuji TV in 1981 and debuted as a film producer in 1987, producing landmark works including Iwai Shunji's Love Letter (1995) and Ring (1998). In 1987, he established Cineswitch Ginza theater to screen foreign films, demonstrating early global orientation. Japan's film industry was then 99% domestically focused. His diagnosis: "Films that only work in Japan may be entertaining, but a year later, almost no one remembers them."

In the late 1990s, Kawai launched the "Y2K Project" to create films about Asian values for global audiences. To find partners, he attended the Busan International Film Festival's PPP (Pusan Promotion Plan, now Asian Project Market) in 1999. Launched in 1998, PPP was Asia's first co-production platform connecting producers and investors. Kawai promised festival officials that "when the project is completed, we will present it at BIFF."

Through the Y2K Project, Kawai met Edward Yang (1947-2007), Taiwan New Wave master. Their collaboration began with "Let's go to Cannes together." Investors were skeptical about Japanese funding for a non-Japanese director, but Kawai persuaded them: "If we create films that work overseas, it will become a promising industry." Yang's initial pitch was a thriller titled Scissors with Jin Chengwu as lead. When Jin declined, Yang pivoted and completed the Yi Yi screenplay about an ordinary Taipei family in two weeks.

Kawai initially worried about this quiet family drama: "Can this film get into Cannes?" Yang replied confidently, "It can even win the Palme d'Or." Kawai had doubts about the nearly three-hour traditional narrative, but trusted Yang's commitment. Shot from April to August 1999, Yi Yi won Best Director at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival, then met Korean audiences at BIFF.

Kawai's Korean connection began in 1999 when he proposed a co-production with director Hur Jin-ho within 15 minutes of meeting. Though abandoned when actress Shim Eun-ha retired, the screenplay became One Fine Spring Day. He later co-produced Rikidozan (2004) as a Korean-Japanese partnership. Having experienced Korean sets, he observed: "All staff unite to realize the director's vision. Korean directors are more insistent about their shots than Japanese directors." He praised Korean cinema's strengths: "Korea aims for cinema-worthy films. While actors and directors are excellent, screenwriting is truly outstanding."

Yi Yi became a 21st-century classic, ranking in BBC's (8th, 2016), The Guardian's (26th, 2019), and Rolling Stone's (8th, 2025) best-of-century lists. In Korea, it has been released three times—2000, 2018, and 2025. The 2025 4K restoration, selected for Cannes Classics, was authorized by Kawai, who personally oversaw color grading. It surpassed 10,000 viewers within five days of re-release.

Kawai's conviction: "Working with foreign staff with different techniques and perspectives allows for films people working only in Japan could never imagine." During this Korea visit, he stated, "It's time for Asian creators to unite again." With theaters declining worldwide due to streaming, he believes Asian filmmakers' reunion could provide a breakthrough.

Yi Yi demonstrated that Asian co-productions can achieve both artistic and commercial success. Japanese capital, Taiwanese talent, and Korean festival support created a Cannes winner rediscovered globally 25 years later—impossible through single-nation systems. BIFF's PPP (now Asian Project Market) has become Asia's largest co-production platform, with numerous completed projects receiving international acclaim.

Kawai is preparing Korean-Japanese collaborations, Japanese-Italian co-productions, and Iwai Shunji's next work—all for theatrical release. His insistence on theaters stems from commitment to preserving cinema's essential experience: "Yi Yi is one of the works you must see to answer: What is cinema's appeal?" This reflects conviction about experiences possible only in theaters.

Kawai's assessment carries weight: "Screenwriting is exceptional" confirms Korean cinema's competitiveness in narrative structure. "Directors are insistent about their shots" reveals creative intensity. These strengths represent Korea's unique contribution to international collaborations. Japan offers technical expertise and investment, Taiwan distinctive aesthetics. Combined, they create works impossible for single nations.

Yi Yi's 25-year rediscovery proves the value of classics. Kawai notes: "Just as novels become classics after 100 years, cinema has its classics too." In an era of rapidly consumed content, true success means creating works that retain meaning. Korean appreciation for Yi Yi and Love Letter reflects this enduring value.

Kawai's message isn't nostalgic—it's urgent. As theatrical cinema faces existential crisis, Asian filmmakers must collaborate across borders again. His late-1990s model remains valid, now more than ever. For theatrical cinema to survive streaming dominance, works must target pan-Asian and global audiences through cross-border collaboration, not closed systems. As Yi Yi proved 25 years ago, the time has come for Asian filmmakers to unite again.

Sources

• The Dong-A Ilbo, "Asian Creators Should Unite Again... If We Keep Neglecting This, Theaters Will Disappear", 2026.01.15

• Kyunghyang Shinmun, "'Yi Yi' is a Textbook of Cinema: How the 21st-Century Classic Began", 2026.01.13