Brilliant Mendoza's crime drama 'Chameleon' from SC Films International for the start of sales in Cannes

Exclusive: SC Films International in London has collected Brillante Mendoza's latest film project, Chameleon, for worldwide sales in front of the Cannes market.

In post-production, the crime thriller drama of the Philippines-Japan is currently focusing on a Filipino transgender dancer named Marie (played by Mariko Ledesma), who is followed by the Japanese Yakuza sub-world. Marie played Sapporo, Japan in the early 2000s, and gets involved with the dangerous Yakuza world after an immigration attack presses her into the orbits of the deadly Yakuza. She desperately accepts a job in the Chameleon Club and quickly becomes the favorite of the Yakuza boss called Shimamura. Marie has to find a way to escape, although the promise of freedom can be fleeting.

The first film material from the film will be available in Cannes, with the film supported by the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs. Production took place in Japan for over two years.

Chameleon plays the Japanese actor Eiji Okuda as Yakuza boss Shimamura alongside Tsuyoshi Ihara, Rina Takeda (attack on Titan) and Sheogen (Gensan Punch).

In addition to Ledesma, the Filipino actors in Chameleon Ruby Ruiz, Gigi Hernandez and Vince Rillon are.

Mendoza won the best director at the Film Festival in Cannes in 2009.

Troy Espiritu, who also acted as an author at Mendoza's Cannes entry by Cannes Ma 'Rosa, wrote the script for Chameleon in addition to Mendoza.

Chameleon is produced by the same group of producers who previously worked together on the Boxbiopic Gensan Punch, who won the Kim Jiseok Award at the 2021 Busan International Film Festival. The producers include Takahiro Yamashita from Japanese Yaman films, Krisma Maclang Fajardo from the Philippines' Center Stage Productions, in Great Britain, Fumie Suzuki Lancaster from SC Films International and Bobo.

The film is also produced by Executive by Yoshi and Hironobu Arai, with the music of Yoshihiro Hanno (can leave the mountains).

“We are enthusiastic to unite with director Brillante Mendoza and his outstanding team,” said Lancaster, who acts as one of the film producers. “This powerful comeback film is deeply rooted in Mendoza's unique vision and highlights the unbelievable stories of Filipinos who came to Japan in the early 2000s with hopes and dreams of a better life. After our successful cooperation on Gensan Punch, an original by HBO who joined the Busan -International film festival.