Yoshida Keisuke Drama ‘Mentor’ Lands at Kino Films for World Sales (EXCLUSIVE)

Home Film News May 4, 2026 5:13am PT Yoshida Keisuke Drama ‘Mentor’ Lands at Kino Films for World Sales (EXCLUSIVE) By Naman Ramachandran Plus Icon Naman Ramachandran Latest Riteish Deshmukh’s ‘Raja Shivaji’ Posts Record Opening Weekend for Marathi Cinema 3 hours ago Korea Box Office: ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ and ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ Lead Weekend 4 hours ago China Box Office: ‘Vanishing Point’ and ‘Cold War 1994’ Lead Rebounding May Day Weekend as ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ Debuts in Third 6 hours ago See All Ⓒ2026 mentor Film Partners Japanese sales and distribution outfit Kino Films has taken on world sales rights for “mentor,” a film directed by Yoshida Keisuke. Two boys once triggered a catastrophe – a fireworks mishap that razed an apartment complex and claimed the wife and child of one of its residents, a man named Nomoto, who also suffered grievous burns. When the film picks up, a decade and a half has elapsed. One of the boys, now adult Ryunosuke, keeps the memory buried while trying to pass as someone unbroken; the other, Takumi, has never managed to put that night behind him. Nomoto’s sudden reappearance upends both men – not through vengeance, which each had braced for, but through a disquieting benevolence that leaves Ryunosuke more troubled than relief could ever make him, while drawing Takumi toward something he cannot quite name. Isomura Hayato, winner of the best supporting actor award at the Japan Academy Film Prize for “The Moon” (2023) and known for films including “The Yakuza and the Family: The Family” and Cannes selected “Plan 75,” plays Ryunosuke. Suezawa Seiya, a member of the four-person idol group Ae!group – which made its CD debut in 2024 – plays Takumi. Ayano Go takes the role of Nomoto – the enigmatic figure whose identity is bound up with the film’s title and who holds the thread that connects both men’s fates. Popular on Variety Yoshida’s prior directorial credits include “Missing” (2024) and “Intolerance” (2021). “mentor” is a 2026 mentor Film Partners production, due in Japanese theaters Oct. 16. Kino Films’ recent Japanese releases include “Conclave,” with the Michael Jackson biopic “Michael” set for a local rollout in June. Read More About: Kino Films, Mentor, Yoshida Keisuke Jump to Comments More from Variety Marian Rivera, Dingdong Dantes, Sharon Cuneta, Vice Ganda Set for Prime Video Philippines’ Local Slate Hrithik Roshan’s HRX Films, Prime Video Team for Comedy ‘Mess’ (EXCLUSIVE) ‘Clarkson’s Farm’ Sets Season 5 Release Date Here’s Where to Watch 2026 NBA Play-In Tournament Live Online Champions League Broadcast Producer Sunset+Vine Taps Duncan East as New CEO (EXCLUSIVE) Here’s How to Watch the 2026 NBA Playoffs Live Online Loading comments...