Asian Pop-Up Cinema Festival Closing Night Film: THE SPECIALS (スペシャルズ)

APUC CLOSING NIGHT FILM: THE SPECIALS

SPECIAL GUEST: Director Eiji Uchida will introduce the film.

Following the screening, APUC will present our Awards Ceremony to announce the winners of this season’s Film Competition for Best Feature, Best New Director, Best Animation and Best Short Film.

There will also be a Closing Night Wrap-Up Party (see Wrap-Up Party ticket) at MacGuffins Bar & Lounge.

Japan | Action Comedy | 2026 | 111 minutes 
In Japanese w/ English Subtitles

Director/Screenwriter: Eiji Uchida 
Starring: Daisuke Sakuma, Kippei Shiina, Yuta Nakamoto, Sho Aoyagi, Hitoshi Ozawa
Film Source: Shinji Sakoda

Former assassin Daiya has long left the criminal world, but he decides to take up a mission to K*ll a rival gang boss for a huge payday. The catch: To K*ll his target at a talent show, he must go undercover and perform in a pop dance group.

For his first lead role in a film, Daisuke Sakuma – member of popular idol group Snow Man – must show off both his dancing and action chops with this unusual and hilarious comedy. Blending pop dancing with thrilling action (sometimes in the same scene), the film is an ode to unexpected second chances and embracing the dancer within us all.

Eiji Uchida, Director & Screenwriter
Born in 1971 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Uchida is a film director and screenwriter. After working as a reporter for Weekly Playboy magazine, he made his screenwriting debut in 1999 with the TV drama Kyoshuujo Monogatari (Driving School Story). He later served as a screenwriter and director on the Netflix original drama series The Naked Director, released worldwide in 2019 and widely recognized as one of the platform’s most talked-about series. His 2021 feature Midnight Swan won the Japan Academy Prize for Best Picture and screened at film festivals around the world. His recent works include Offbeat Cops! (2022), Silent Love (2024), Matching (2024), and Night Flower (2025).

IMPORTANT TICKET INFORMATION

All ticket sales are final and non-refundable, so please double-check your plans before purchasing.

Programs and schedules are subject to change.

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Doors open 30 minutes before showtime — come early, grab your seat, and enjoy the experience!

Info:

Info: Proceeds from this event support APUC’s year-round mission to introduce and celebrate diverse Asian culture through film while highlighting our common humanity.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

AMC NEWCITY 14, 1500 North Clybourn Avenue, Chicago, United States

Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.

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