Dark Star Pictures has acquired the North American distribution rights to crime thriller Missing as part of its ongoing collaboration with Bloody Disgusting. Dark Star and Bloody Disgusting plan a US theatrical release for Missing on November 4, 2022, an On Demand release on November 18, 2022, and the Blu Ray release for the film to follow on December 6, 2022. (Dark Star Pictures, 2022)

Missing had its World Premiere at Busan International Film Festival before screening at Fantasia International Film Festival and had its US Premiere at Fantastic Fest in September 2022. It is written and directed by Shinzô Katayama. The movie stars Aoi Ito, Jiro Sato, and Hiroya Shimizu.

OFFICIAL SELECTION: Busan International Film Festival, Fantasia International Film Festival.

Missing – Depressed and in debt following the death of his wife, Santoshi (Jiro Sato) tells his young daughter he has found a way out. Pointing to a reward note, he vows to find the infamous serial killer “No Name” (Hiroya Shimizu) and cash in, claiming to have seen the man in the flesh a few days earlier. Kaeda (Aoi Ito) cannot take her aloof father seriously but when he goes missing without a trace, she starts to fear the worst—and must begin looking for him.

After working as an assistant director for Japanese films, including Nobuhiro Yamashita’s works, filmmaker Shinzô Katayama crossed paths with Bong Joon-Ho while shooting “TOKYO!” (2008) and served as his assistant director on “Mother” (2009). In 2019, his debut feature, “Siblings of the Cape ” was selected by numerous domestic and international film festivals. He now is one of the most promising, emerging directors in Japan, and his second feature, Missing (“Sagasu /さがす”) will be his commercial film debut.

Japan, 2021 (In Japanese with English Subtitles)

Dark Star Pictures is a new-age North American distribution company, focused on bringing unique and targeted content to audiences across the country. We are committed to releasing auteur-driven, original cinema in the theatrical, digital, and home video space.