M8 Entertainment Inc., a leading film entertainment company engaged in the production, financing, acquisition, and worldwide licensing of theatrical feature films in a variety of genres, and Japanese production and distribution company Digital Site Corporation announced today that they are teaming up to co-produce and distribute the feature film project “The Ramen Girl” starring Brittany Murphy (“Sin City,” “Sin City 2,” “Little Black Book,” “Eight Mile”). Written by Becca Topol, this romantic comedy-drama will be directed by Robert Allan Ackerman, who will also serve as a producer on the project along with Ms. Murphy, Stewart Hall, and Yoko Narahashi, with Digital Site's Masafumi Odawara serving as an executive producer. The film will be shot entirely on location in Japan, with principal photography having begun on September 16. Digital Site will distribute the film in Japan, with M8's principal subsidiary Media 8 Entertainment retaining all remaining worldwide rights.
“Digital Site is an ideal partner for us on this project, and it's fitting to begin our collaboration with them on an international, cross-cultural story like 'The Ramen Girl,'” said Stewart Hall, President of Media 8 Entertainment. “We hope this will be just the first of many collaborations between our companies.”
“We found “The Ramen Girl” to be a delightful story blending both Japanese traditions and American culture in an endearing way that highlights the unique talents of Brittany Murphy and Toshiyuki Nishida,” said Masafumi Odawara, Vice President of Digital Site. “We are also equally excited to be teaming up with an innovative production company such as Media 8 in our first international partnership”.
“The Ramen Girl” is the charming story of a young American woman (Murphy), who finds herself suddenly alone and adrift in Tokyo after a break-up with her boyfriend. Lost in the shuffle of a foreign culture, and seeking to console herself, Abby frequents her neighborhood ramen shop. After observing the magical effects of the shop's ramen on the customers, Abby persuades the shop's tyrannical, temperamental Japanese master chef (Nishida) to teach her the art of ramen- making. Their contentious relationship is the center of this funny, bittersweet, emotionally moving story.
M8 Entertainment Inc. is a leading film entertainment company engaged in the production, financing, acquisition, and worldwide licensing of theatrical feature films in a variety of genres through its principal subsidiary Media 8 Entertainment. Media 8's current sales slate includes the investigative drama “Challenger” to star Academy Award nominee David Strathairn and to be directed by Philip Kaufman; the forthcoming adaptation of “The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing [working title]” starring Sarah Michelle Gellar and Alec Baldwin; the supernatural thriller “Reaper;” “The Horror Chronicles” anthology, and the zombie horror-comedy “Wanted: Undead or Alive” starring Chris Kattan and James Denton. Media 8's recent releases include the New Line Cinema action-drama “Running Scared,” written and directed by Wayne Kramer and starring Paul Walker, the critically acclaimed “The Upside of Anger” starring Joan Allen and Kevin Costner, and the Academy Award-winning “Monster.” Upcoming Media 8 Entertainment releases include “Lovewrecked,” starring Amanda Bynes, Chris Carmack, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, and Jonathan Bennett, which will be released by The Weinstein Company, and the comedy “Man About Town,” written and directed by Mike Binder, and starring Ben Affleck, Rebecca Romijn and John Cleese, to be released by Lionsgate Films.
Digital Site Corporation is a growing company for the production, acquisition and distribution of the theatrical films and DVDs in Japan. As the leading pioneer in the field of digital cinema, Digital Site co-produced “Bright Future” directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa, which was selected for the official competition at the Cannes Film Festival in 2003, and recently produced “Notebook of Life” directed by Makoto Itakura, starring Fujiko Sumiko and Shinobu Terajima, which will be screened at the Tokyo International Film Festival, and released nation-wide in fall 2006. Digital Site's upcoming releases include Lionsgate's horror film “Catacombs” directed by David Elliot and Tomm Coker, starring Shannyn Sossamon and Pink; the deeply moving documentary “Emmanuel's Gift” by First Look Pictures; the charming family drama “The Thing About My Folks” starring acclaimed actors Peter Falk and Paul Reiser, and many more. Digital Site is also a leading DVD distributor of international programs in Japan encompassing a variety of genres such as animation, music, documentary, urban, and TV programs.
Digital Site was established in March 1998 and is currently a 100% owned subsidiary of Ray Corporation, located in Tokyo Japan. Its acquisition office is located in Santa Monica, CA.
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