Overview
Klockworx (formally THE KLOCKWORX Co., Ltd.) is a Tokyo-based independent film distribution and production company founded on January 24, 1997. The company is headquartered at No. 5 TOC Building 9F, 7-21-1 Nishigotanda, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo. Capital stands at 100,000,000 yen. President and CEO Itaru Fujimoto leads the company with 36 employees. Directors include Tetsu Negami (who also heads TV department acquisitions), Tsuneo Takechi, and Kanako Koido.
The company releases international and Japanese films theatrically in Japan, with programming strength across South Korean cinema, European arthouse, American independent productions, and anime. Klockworx also produces anime television series and merchandise, making it a hybrid distributor-production company. Unifrance lists 68 titles in the company's filmography as foreign distributor. The company's business spans film distribution, DVD release and sales, film rights import, film-related merchandise import and sales, and planning and production of film and animation.
Klockworx occupies a commercially oriented position within Japan's specialty distribution sector. The company prioritizes films with genuine crossover potential: accessible enough to attract the broader arthouse audience while offering the quality and distinction that cinephile audiences seek. Recent 2025 releases included Blonde (Andrew Dominik), Die My Love (Lynne Ramsay), My Daughter Is a Zombie, The Shadow's Edge, and Dream Animals: The Movie. The company also handled the Japanese release of I'm Still Here (2025 Academy Award winner for Best International Feature Film) and The Secret Agent (2026 Oscar contender).
Korean Cinema Focus
South Korean cinema has been one of the strongest-performing international categories in the Japanese arthouse market, driven by sustained Korean cultural popularity in Japan (the Hallyu or Korean Wave) and by the consistent international critical success of Korean directors including Bong Joon-ho, Park Chan-wook, Lee Chang-dong, and Hong Sang-soo. Klockworx's South Korean programming takes advantage of this cultural enthusiasm while serving audiences who seek Korean cinema beyond mainstream Korean commercial entertainment.
The 2026 lineup reflects this strength: The Black Nun (a Korea-Japan horror collaboration starring JAEJOONG, formerly of K-pop group JYJ) and the Alienoid duology (Korean sci-fi directed by Choi Dong-hoon). Shrine: Devil's Whisper is a Japan-Korea cultural project filmed entirely in Kobe with a bilingual cast, screened at the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival's Mad Max section.
The Busan International Film Festival in South Korea is the primary platform where Japanese distributors discover new Korean cinema. Klockworx's consistent Busan attendance gives it early access to Korean acquisitions before other international buyers. Tetsu Negami, who serves as Director and head of TV department acquisitions, manages the company's international buying strategy.
Japanese-Korean Cultural Context
The Japan-Korea cultural relationship in cinema is commercially significant. Korean films perform consistently well at the Japanese arthouse box office, with titles by major Korean directors achieving theatrical runs in Japan that rival or exceed their performance in other international markets.
Shrine: Devil's Whisper exemplifies the company's Japan-Korea co-production strategy. The film is directed by Japanese director Kumashiri Kazuyoshi, stars Korean actor JAEJOONG, and features a cast blending Japanese and Korean performers. The film was selected for the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, demonstrating its cross-market appeal. Klockworx held premiere stage greetings at Shinjuku Balt 9 with the director and cast, including a JAEJOONG fan event on February 11, 2026.
Co-Production and Original Production
Klockworx is expanding beyond distribution into original production, particularly in anime and Japanese theatrical features. The company is producing I Don't Know You, a Japanese-French co-production directed by Ryota Nakano (Her Love Boils Bathwater) and starring Kentaro Sakaguchi. Kazumi Fukase at Klockworx is lead producing alongside Yusuke Wakabayashi at Pipeline, in co-production with Pyramide Productions (known for the Cannes 2022 Jury Prize winner The Eight Mountains). Klockworx will distribute the film in Japan. The company previously handled Nakano's Her Love Boils Bathwater and Kenji Uchida's Key of Life (later remade across Asia).
The anime production division represents a significant growth area. With five anime series in production or airing between 2025 and 2026, Klockworx is building a pipeline of owned IP that complements its distribution business. The company's merchandise division (planning and sales of film and character goods) supports both its theatrical releases and anime productions.
What Filmmakers Should Know
For international filmmakers seeking Japanese theatrical distribution, Klockworx is a realistic acquisition target. The company acquires finished films at festivals (Busan, Cannes, Berlin, Venice) and through sales agents. Its accessible-arthouse positioning makes it more commercially open than purely formal or experimental distributors, broadening its range of qualifying acquisitions.
Japanese theatrical rights are commercially meaningful. A Klockworx release provides access to Japan's substantial arthouse box office alongside the long-tail home entertainment and streaming revenue that follows Japanese theatrical releases. The company's DVD release and digital distribution capabilities mean it can handle the full window sequence from theatrical through home entertainment.
For Korean and European arthouse filmmakers, Klockworx's established audience channels in Korean cinema and European art film make it a particularly strong partner. The company's track record with Academy Award contenders (I'm Still Here, The Secret Agent) demonstrates its ability to handle awards-season titles with positioning in Japan.
For Japanese filmmakers, Klockworx's expansion into production offers a potential path beyond distribution. The company's co-production model (demonstrated by I Don't Know You with France's Pyramide Productions) provides access to international co-production financing while maintaining Japanese distribution. Filmmakers should contact the company through sales agents, entertainment lawyers, or directly through the Klockworx website.
Example Titles They've Released
Klockworx's catalog spans Korean cinema, European arthouse, American independent productions, anime, and Japanese theatrical features:
- I'm Still Here (2024, dir. Walter Salles) - 2025 Academy Award winner for Best International Feature Film; Brazilian political drama; Japanese theatrical release via Klockworx
- The Secret Agent (2025, dir. Kleber Mendonca Filho) - Cannes 2025 competition; 2026 Oscar contender; Japanese distribution via Klockworx
- Die My Love (2025, dir. Lynne Ramsay) - starring Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson; Cannes 2025 competition
- Blonde (2022, dir. Andrew Dominik) - biographical drama starring Ana de Armas
- Requiem for a Dream 4K Remaster (2000, dir. Darren Aronofsky) - 4K remaster theatrical re-release February 2026
- Alienoid Part 1 (2022, dir. Choi Dong-hoon) - Korean sci-fi; Japanese theatrical release February 2026
- Alienoid Part 2 (2022, dir. Choi Dong-hoon) - Korean sci-fi sequel; Japanese theatrical release February 2026
- The Black Nun (2025, dir. Kwon Hyeok-Jae) - Korean horror; Japan-Korea cultural collaboration; Japanese theatrical release January 2026
- Shrine: Devil's Whisper (2026, dir. Kumashiri Kazuyoshi) - Japan-Korea horror starring JAEJOONG; Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival selection
- Her Love Boils Bathwater (dir. Ryota Nakano) - Japanese drama; previously distributed by Klockworx
- Key of Key (dir. Kenji Uchida) - Japanese comedy; later remade across Asia
Deal Structure Reputation
Klockworx operates on a hybrid acquisition model combining traditional MG-based deals with selective co-production investments:
- MG range: Japanese theatrical rights for international arthouse titles typically command mid five figures to low six figures in USD, depending on the film's profile, festival awards, and cast. Academy Award winners like I'm Still Here and Cannes competition titles like The Secret Agent command the higher end.
- Revenue split: standard 50/50 after theater deductions for theatrical releases, with separate digital and home entertainment deals negotiated per title.
- Rights scope: Klockworx typically acquires all Japanese theatrical, DVD, and digital rights. The company handles the full window sequence from theatrical through home entertainment.
- Co-production investment: for original productions like I Don't Know You (Japanese-French co-production with Pyramide Productions), Klockworx invests production capital alongside distribution rights. This model provides access to international co-production financing while securing Japanese distribution.
- Anime production: Klockworx's anime production division operates on a production-commitment model rather than acquisition, with five series in production or airing between 2025 and 2026.
Typical Acquisition Profile
Klockworx acquires:
- Genre: accessible arthouse cinema with crossover potential, Korean cinema (particularly horror, sci-fi, and drama), European arthouse, American independent productions, and anime. The company prioritizes films that attract broader arthouse audiences while maintaining quality and distinction.
- Budget tier: mid-to-high budget by arthouse standards. Klockworx does not acquire micro-budget experimental films. Films with recognizable cast (Jennifer Lawrence, Wagner Moura, JAEJOONG) or established IP (Alienoid, Requiem for a Dream) are preferred.
- Festival premiere status: important but not exclusive. Films from Cannes, Berlin, Venice, and Busan competition programs are prioritized. Academy Award contenders and winners are actively pursued for Japanese distribution.
- Director track record: established directors (Lynne Ramsay, Walter Salles, Kleber Mendonca Filho, Choi Dong-hoon, Darren Aronofsky) are preferred. The company also acquires films from emerging Korean directors through its Busan festival attendance.
- Submissions: Klockworx acquires through sales agents at major markets (Busan, Cannes, Berlin, AFM) and directly through its acquisitions team led by Tetsu Negami (Director, head of TV department acquisitions). Direct filmmaker submissions are possible through the company website.
Recent Slate / Acquisition Activity
Klockworx's 2026 theatrical lineup includes:
- Working Man (January 2, 2026)
- Outlaws (January 23, 2026)
- The Black Nun (January 30, 2026) - Korean horror, Japan-Korea cultural collaboration
- Requiem for a Dream 4K Remaster (February 6, 2026)
- Shrine: Devil's Whisper (February 6, 2026) - horror starring JAEJOONG, Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival selection
- Alienoid Part 1 (February 13, 2026) - Korean sci-fi
- Alienoid Part 2 (February 27, 2026)
- The Crow (March 6, 2026)
- 90 Meters (March 27, 2026)
Additional 2026 titles with dates to be confirmed include Alpha, Death Stalker, Die My Love, Dirty Angels, First Ride, Frankie Freako, High Five, The Long Walk, and The Woman in the White Car.
The company is also producing I Don't Know You, a Japanese-French co-production directed by Ryota Nakano and starring Kentaro Sakaguchi, with Kazumi Fukase lead producing alongside Yusuke Wakabayashi at Pipeline, in co-production with Pyramide Productions. Klockworx will distribute the film in Japan.
Anime production titles for 2025-2026 include The Holy Grail of Eris (2026), The Case Book of Arne (2026), Wash It All Away (2026), Pass the Monster Meat, Milady! (2025), and With You and the Rain (2025).
Watch: Trailers and Interviews
See Also
For other major Japanese specialty distributors, see Transformer, Longride, and Imagica Robot in this directory. For how international distribution deals are structured across territories, see Distribution Deals Explained. To model revenue from Japanese theatrical and home entertainment windows, use the Revenue Forecast Calculator. For understanding how international sales agents package territory deals that include Japan, see What Does a Distributor Keep?.
