Congratulations are in order! Two First Cut Lab supported films were premiered at Cannes 2025:

• RENOIR by Hayakawa Chie, nominated for the Palme d’Or and selected in the Official Selection – In Competition. This feature film participated in First Cut Lab Japan 2024.
• THE BLACK SNAKE by Aurélien Vernhes-Lermusiaux, selected in ACID. This feature film was part of First Cut Lab Nouvelle-Aquitaine Hessen 2024.

First Cut Lab has been supporting more and more feature projects, and seeing two supported long films being recognized at the biggest film festival in the world is truly an achievement to be proud of.

RENOIR is a story took place at Suburban Tokyo, 1987. 11-year-old Fuki’s father, Keiji, is battling a terminal illness, and in and out of hospital. Her mother, Utako, is constantly stressed out from caring for Keiji while holding down a full-time job. Left alone with her rich imagination, Fuki becomes fascinated by telepathy and falls ever deeper into her own fantasy world…

THE BLACK SNAKE is a story after years of absence, Ciro is back in the Colombian Tatacoa desert, at the bedside of his dying mother. As he confronts those he has abandoned and an age-old legacy, the last guardians of the desert prowl a land as sublime as it is fragile.

And we would like to extend special thanks to our consultants who contributed to both films:

• RENOIR – Consultant Editor: Sebastian Sepulveda | Editorial Consultant: Wim Vanacker
  
• THE BLACK SNAKE – Consultant Editor: Sebastian Sepulveda | Editorial Consultant: Erica Barbiani

Learn more projects like RENOIR and THE BLACK SNAKE, check out our more information for workshops above – and stay tuned for the next Japan call very soon!