Hello, this is Izumitani from Ehime Film Commission.
On January 15, film commissions from across Shikoku gathered in Kochi City for the annual Japan FC Shikoku Block Meeting. The event rotates between prefectures each year — last year it was held in Takamatsu, Kagawa; next year it comes to Ehime.
Representing the region at this meeting were Ehime FC, Tokushima Location Service, Kochi FC, and Kagawa FC. Shodoshima FC had registered but had to send their apologies due to an unexpected last-minute location scout. Takamatsu Tourism Association also joined.
Each commission shared a summary of their year’s production support — the range across the group was roughly 10 to 30 productions, covering feature films, television dramas, standalone TV specials, and commercials. About average for any given year.
The main discussion centered on deepening cross-commission collaboration. This past year, Ehime FC worked on a production originally based in another region — the director was looking for a specific look that couldn’t be found elsewhere, and we found it here in Ehime.
It’s worth remembering: Shikoku is a single island. We share the Shikoku Pilgrimage, Shikoku Karst, and so much more. For international productions in particular, the distinctions between Ehime, Tokushima, Kochi, and Kagawa rarely register — it’s all “Shikoku Island.” As international inquiries and entries to international film festivals increase, the case for thinking and acting as a unified region becomes even stronger.
A side note: Shodoshima in Kagawa Prefecture was once considered as the setting for the James Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun. The excitement was significant enough that a commemorative museum opened in 2005 (it closed in 2017), though the film was ultimately never shot there.
Then, at the evening social, the conversation took a turn toward the gloriously hypothetical.
“Remember that old movie Cannonball Run — where drivers race to the finish line with zero rules? What if that happened around Shikoku? A circuit race around the island — that would be incredible.”
“Oh yes! The Shikoku circuit is about 1,200 kilometers, so realistically… a two or three day race?”
“What about explosions during the race? That’s tricky to pull off practically.”
“We go heavy on CGI. Big, over-the-top action.”
“The route follows the 88 Sacred Sites — start in Tokushima, finish in Kagawa!”
“Kochi gets a beautiful coastal run. Ehime? Drama, chaos, full mayhem.” (Laughter)
“The race as a metaphor for the Ohenro pilgrimage — that’s actually interesting.”
“If we’re going this big, where do we pitch it? It’s international scale.”
“Direct flights to Korea — why not Seoul or Busan’s international film festivals? Or Taiwan?”
“We could all go together to pitch it — all four Shikoku prefectures!”
“Let’s do it!”
Shikoku has never had a major international production that embraces the whole island as its canvas. The idea of creating one ourselves — writing the pitch, and taking it abroad — is outrageous. And yet, sitting there that evening, I genuinely thought: someone could actually write this script.