U.S. and Thailand-based EST N8 has acquired international rights to the Japanese fantasy drama River Returns. The film, which explores themes of tradition, nature and courage, will make its market debut at the American Film Market (AFM) this week before its world premiere in competition at the Gijon International Film Festival in Spain later this month.

Directed by Kaneko Masakazu, River Returns is set in 1958 and follows Yucha, a young boy in a remote mountain village frequently threatened by typhoons. When a deadly storm approaches, Yucha learns of a sorrowful spirit named Oyo, whose grief has caused floods for centuries. Determined to protect his village, Yucha embarks on a dangerous journey to the mountains, hoping to appease the spirit by returning a wooden bowl filled with village water to the place where Oyo drowned.

The cast includes Hanamura Asuka, recently seen in Netflix’s City Hunter, who plays Oyo, the haunted spirit. 8-year-old Sanetoshi Ariyama stars as Yucha, while Aoi Yo, known for roles in Sin Clock (2023) and High & Low: The Worst (2019), rounds out the cast.

Kaneko, known for blending human stories with nature’s power, has received accolades for his previous works. His 2016 debut, The Albino’s Trees, and his second feature, Ring Wandering (2021), have garnered awards including the Golden Peacock Award at the International Film Festival of India and Best Screenplay at the Durban International Film Festival. River Returns marks Kaneko’s third feature.

“Kaneko’s ability to weave folklore with deeply human themes is exceptional. This story of a young boy confronting nature to save his village is both poignant and universal. We’re eager to bring this beautiful piece of Japanese storytelling to global audiences,” said Jaeson Ma, chairman of EST Studios.

EST N8 was formed as a collaboration between EST Studios, founded by Jaeson Ma and Eric Tu in 2022, and N8, led by Thailand-based Kris Eiamsakulrat and Rachel Wu. The venture aims to represent Asian content globally, with a focus on a diverse slate of 15 annual projects.