Japanese actor Kazunari Ninomiya made his red carpet debut at the 78th Cannes Film Festival, held in France, as his latest film “Exit 8” was officially invited to the Midnight Screening section. The movie received its world premiere at the Lumière Theatre at 12:30 a.m. local time on May 19.

Ninomiya appeared in a tuxedo, walking the red carpet that glowed under the midnight sky, accompanied by co-star Nana Komatsu, director Genki Kawamura, and screenwriter Kentaro Hirase. Smiling and waving to the crowd, they were greeted with a flurry of camera flashes and cheers, marking a stunning Cannes debut.

Before the screening, Ninomiya shared his excitement:

“I’m happy to see the joy on the faces of everyone involved in Exit 8. Bringing the script to life was a long process, and there were challenges along the way. But seeing everyone here tonight makes it all worth it. I just want to celebrate this evening! The reviews will come soon enough, and they might be harsh, but sharing this nervous excitement with everyone—it’s an experience unique to Cannes.”

The film Exit 8 is based on a suspense-thriller indie game developed solely by KOTAKE CREATE in 2023, which has surpassed 1.7 million downloads. Set in an endless looping underground passage, the story revolves around a man trying to escape by detecting subtle “abnormalities” hidden in the environment.

The Midnight Screening section at Cannes is a special category for late-night premieres of bold and genre-defying films. Previous titles screened in this section include Train to Busan (2017) and Twilight Warriors: Battle at Kowloon Walled City (2024), both of which went on to become international hits.

Source : ORICON NEWS