Written, directed and produced by Jason Chan and Christian Lee, Jimami Tofu, a romantic feature set in Okinawa and Singapore has secured production funding and global distribution. Set to finish principal photography in early December it will be BananaMana Films’ first full length feature but has garnered pre-sales agreements with international distributors including Korean media giant IHQ, Japanese global TV platform VIKI and Encore Inflight.

 

The film is led by an international cast including Jason Chan, Mari Yamamoto, Rino Nakasone, Masane Tsukayama and many prominent Okinawan actors.

 

Jinami Tofus is about a Chinese Singaporean chef, formerly working in Tokyo, finds himself in Okinawa begging a disgruntled old chef to teach him traditional Okinawan food. A top Japanese food critic finds herself in Singapore on an eye opening discovery of SEA cuisine. In reality both are looking for each other after an emotional breakup years ago when she left him without a trace. Emotionally crippled by their breakup he searches her home-town for her but discovers instead the art of traditional Okinawan food. Through it he learns the incredible balance of two cultures: Chinese and Japanese – the homely, warmth of Chinese style cooking with the precision, delicacy and visual artistry of Japanese cuisine: a balance they never had in their relationship. When she suddenly appears in Okinawa looking to find closure he cooks and serves her their final meal. Through it she discovers what she had been yearning for all these years – the beauty of both cultures balanced to perfection and realises he has found the key to being together again.