Nathan Studios continues its international rise as “Renoir,” a Japanese art film co-produced by the Philippine company, premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival this weekend.
A multinational collaboration involving Japan’s Happinet Studios, France’s Ici et Là Productions, Singapore’s Akanga Film Asia, Indonesia’s Kawan Kawan Media, the Philippines’ Daluyong Studios and Nathan Studios — with Goodfellas handling international sales — the coming-of-age drama, directed by Chie Hayakawa, follows 11-year-old Fuki, whose father’s terminal illness and mother’s emotional exhaustion push her toward a surreal world of telepathy and escapism.
“This international collaboration creates a massive positive impact on the Filipino film industry,” said Sylvia Sanchez-Atayde, CEO of Nathan Studios. “It gives a lot of hope to Filipino producers to go global—especially here in Cannes.”
“Malaking impact ito,” she added. “In just three years of attending Cannes, we’ve already landed international co-productions and walked the red carpet again. I’m hoping more Filipino producers will enter the global stage—solo or in partnership.”
Sanchez-Atayde, who also celebrated her birthday in Europe, deemed “Renoir’s” selection “surreal.”
“I’m still in disbelief and absolutely ecstatic,” she said. “When we started Nathan Studios, this was something we only dreamt of. Now it’s finally here. All the hard work, determination, belief, and prayers have borne fruit.”
This marks Nathan Studios’ third Cannes outing, following “Cattleya Killer” (2022) and “Topakk” (2023), both starring actor and Congressman Arjo Atayde, who has garnered interest from international buyers.
Set for a June 20 release in Japan, “Renoir,” starring newcomer Yui Suzuki alongside Hikari Ishida and Lily Franky, is already drawing praise from critics.
Stephanie Bunbury of Deadline wrote that while the film is scattered, it doesn’t “detract from the film’s beauty or the strength of the performances,” adding: “It still has the power to touch and then to haunt us.”
Variety’s Jessica Kiang called it “a slender but appealingly impressionistic story of an inquisitive young girl’s summer of life, death and amateur parapsychology,” describing it as “a more diffuse yet in some ways more interesting sophomore feature.”
The Hollywood Reporter’s Lovia Gyarkye praised the film’s emotional pull, crediting Suzuki’s performance: “The newcomer has a wide-eyed, penetrating stare… In her hands, the character becomes someone you come to feel deeply protective of.”
With Renoir, Nathan Studios solidifies its foothold in the global cinema scene—even as it also reaffirms the Philippines’ place on the international stage.
