The Seven’s first film planned, produced, and distributed, “The Fool’s Identity,” achieved the remarkable feat of winning the Best Actor Award at the Busan International Film Festival for Takumi Kitamura, Yuta Hayashi, and Go Ayano. Image
URL: THE SEVEN Press release: September 26, 2025 “The Fool’s Identity,” the first film planned, produced, and distributed by THE SEVEN, achieved the remarkable feat of winning the Best Actor Award at the Busan International Film Festival, with Takumi Kitamura, Yuta Hayashi, and Go Ayano all winning the Best Actor Award.
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Despite being nervous, he delivered a confident speech. The awards ceremony for the 30th Busan International Film Festival, Asia’s largest film festival, was held on Friday, September 26, 2025, the final day of the festival. Takumi Kitamura, Yuta Hayashi, and Go Ayano won the Best Actor Award for “The Fool’s Identity” (released October 24), the first film planned, produced, and distributed by THE SEVEN, a content production company and TBS Group’s strategic overseas studio. It is an exceptional achievement for three main cast members to receive awards simultaneously. This is testament to the international acclaim for this film, which is THE SEVEN’s first feature film, just three years after its founding. The film “The Fool’s Status” is based on the novel of the same name by Jun Nishio, winner of the 2nd Oyabu Haruhiko Newcomer Award. The film was produced by THE SEVEN’s Teru Morii, who worked on Netflix’s “Alice in Borderland” series and “Yu Yu Hakusho.” Other producers from THE SEVEN who supported the production included Kazuya Shimomura and Shuhei Sekiguchi, as well as Satoshi Akabane and Yuetsu Murakami in VFX, and Norikazu Ishida and Saori Miyajima in post-production. Directed by Koto Nagata, renowned for her skillful portrayals of human drama, this suspenseful fugitive film depicts the adolescence of three young people who grew up without knowing love, and the three days they spend escaping a “dark business.” Through the story of these three young people struggling to survive in poverty and the underworld, the film explores social themes that will resonate with audiences worldwide, while also delivering an entertaining work that combines the sensitivity and strength that only a female director can offer. The film was selected for the newly established competition section at the Busan International Film Festival, and received thunderous applause from the audience at its world premiere on the 18th, attracting much attention as to which award it would win. Kitamura, who was unable to attend the awards ceremony held locally on the 26th, sent a message to Hayashi, who was attending the ceremony on behalf of the three, saying, “I hope you enjoy the ceremony as someone who carried this movie on your shoulders (in many ways).” Ayano also said, “It really touches my heart to imagine Yuta, who continued to pursue the light (in the film), literally standing in a shining place.” The judges explained the reason for the award, saying, “The performances of these three young actors, each with their own unique personalities but perfectly harmonized, transcended boundaries and breathed vivid life into their characters, demonstrating a special power that allowed the audience to laugh, cry, and grow along with the characters.” They also commented on how brilliant their performances were in the film. Hayashi, who received the trophy on-site, was nervous but delivered a confident speech. “The most important thing about this film is that trying to live is never a foolish choice. Even if you can’t find big dreams or great meaning, I believe that as long as you have someone who supports you, there is a great deal of meaning to life,” he said, and expressed his gratitude, saying, “This was taught to me by this film, and by Kitamura Takumi and Ayano Go, who couldn’t be here today. I would like to share this special moment, this special emotion, with the three of us when we return to Japan.” Hayashi spoke with acrylic stands of Kitamura and Ayano that he had brought with him from Japan, and the audience gave him a warm round of applause.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/114770/13/114770-13-5252db52e9f0c0cdf6d5da7aa3204f43-1476×1108.jpg Hayashi holding acrylic stands of Kitamura and Ayano The film “The Fool’s Identity” opens nationwide on Friday, October 24th. Takumi Kitamura, Yuta Hayashi, Go Ayano, and others Producer: Teru Morii Director: Koto Nagata Scriptwriter: Kosuke Mukai Original work: Jun Nishio, “The Fool’s Status” (Tokuma Bunko) Production: “The Fool’s Status” Film Production Committee Production Manager: THE SEVEN Distributed by: THE SEVEN Shogate (C)2025 “The Fool’s Status” Film Production Committee *When using images or footage, please include the following credit information. Title: “The Fool’s Status” Release Date: Nationwide release on Friday, October 24th Distributor: THE▲SEVEN Shogate Copyright: (C)2025 “The Fool’s Status” Film Production Committee *▲ means half-width characters. Please be careful when entering. *The space between SEVEN and SHOGATE in the distribution notation is a full-width space. ＜Company Profile＞ Company Name: THE SEVEN Co., Ltd. Location: THE Hexagon 3F, 5-4-7 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo Established: January 7, 2022 Representative Director and President: Katsuhiro Setoguchi Website:
https://www.the7.co.jp/ Established in January 2022 with investment from TBS Holdings. In addition to planning, developing, and producing high-end content aimed at the world, primarily in collaboration with global distribution platforms, the group is a producer group that develops businesses with an eye toward overseas markets, focusing on IP, including IP development and management, film, live entertainment, and licensing. The group is promoting global content business as the core of the TBS Group’s overseas strategy.
