The first box set distributed by Blaq Out/Dissidenz (the company that now owns the international rights to each film), was out on October 6th of last year, and included the four films, Secrets Behind the Wall (1965), Embryo (1966), Violated Angels (1967), and Go Go Second Time Virgin (1969). It only had French subtitles on the DVDs, while having English subs on VOD.

However, on July 6th, another DVD box set will be released with 4 more Wakamatsu films. Only this time, they all have English subtitles! The films included will be: Season of Terror (1969), Running in Madness, Dying in Love (1969), Sex Jack (1970), and Ecstasy of the Angels (1972). In addition to the subtitles, all the films on the box set are digitally re-mastered.

We can still look forward to even more of Koji’s films to come. Said movies are Violent Virgin (1969), Naked Bullet (1969), Violence Without a Cause (1969), Shinjuku Mad (1970), The Woman Who Wanted to Die (1970), and A Pool Without Water (1982).

It was reported last week that director Koji Wakamatsu’s newest film would be included in this year’s Berlin International Film Festival competition. Based on a novel by Edogawa Rampo and released by Blaq Out/Dissidenz. Wakamatsu’s Caterpillar follows Lieutenant Kurokawa, who returns home during the 2nd Sino-Japanese War in 1940, an “honored and decorated soldier… but deprived of his arms and legs lost in the battle in Mainland China”. As the Lieutenant’s wife, Shigeko has to set an example by, “…fulfilling her duty and taking care of the ‘god’ soldier”. It will star Shinobu Terajima and Shima Ohnishi.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Watching the trailer that was recently released lets you know that Wakamatsu definitely hasn’t lost his touch since his epic 2007 United Red Army. He released this statement on Dissidenz International’s website saying:

In war human beings are violated, chopped up and burnt by other human beings.
Humans violating other humans.
Humans chopping up other humans.
Humans burning other humans.
Is there such a thing as a just war? Before the arrival of billowing mushroom clouds, falling incendiary shells or large-scale massacres, there were brightly lit houses filled with men, women, the aged and children— human beings. It was there that they ate and slept, ate and slept; living their routine lives.
What is the meaning of war? What is the meaning of people killing people for the sake of their country? Where in the world can we find a just war?
Don’t forget the stench of blood that covered the earth!
Don’t forget the smell of burnt flesh!
We must not forget… for this is what war is.
Over 140,000 people died in the Hiroshima Atomic bomb attack.
Over 70,000 people died in the Nagasaki Atomic bomb attack.
984 class B and C war criminals were sentenced to death.
Over 100,000 died in the Bombing of Tokyo.
Over 20 million died in the Asian continent.
Over 60 million died in World War II.

It will make it’s world premiere at this year’s Berlin Film Festival.

26 films will participate in the Competition programme of the 60th Berlin International Film Festival. In addition to the seven titles announced earlier (see press releases from December 15, 2009), a further 18 films have now been confirmed. These include productions from Argentina, Austria, Denmark, Germany, France, Great Britain, Japan, Norway, People´s Republic of China, Romania, Russian Federation, Sweden and USA.
The complete programme will be presented on February 1, 2010.

These films will celebrate their world premiere or international premiere in the Competition of the 60th Berlinale…

Kyatapira (Caterpillar) is based on a novel by Edogawa Rampo and is being released by Blaq Out/Dissidenz. There is no trailer out yet, however there are some stills available. The plot follows Lieutenant Kurokawa, who returns home during the 2nd Sino-Japanese War in 1940, an “honored and decorated soldier… but deprived of his arms and legs lost in the battle in mainland China”. As the Lieutenant’s wife, Shigeko has to set an example by, “…fulfilling her duty and taking care of the ‘god’ soldier”. The competition will be its world premiere.

Otouto (About Her Brother) is director Yoji Yamada’s 81st film. It stars Sayuri Yoshinaga (Kabei), Tsurube Shofukutei (Kabei), Yu Aoi (Hula Girls), and Ryo Kase (Letters From Iwo Jima). It shows the story of two siblings (Yoshinaga and Shofukutei) who reunite after it is known that the brother has a terminal illness. Aoi plays Sayuri’s daughter, and Kase is her love interest. It will be released in Japan first on the 30th of January, and then be shown at the festival as the closing title on February 21st.

Zhang Yimou’s film, San qiang pai an jing qi,(The Simple Noodle Story) was already released in China and Hong Kong in December. It is a remake of the American Coen Brothers’ first feature, Blood Simple. The film follows the owner of a Chinese noodle shop whose plan to murder his cheating wife and her affair goes wrong. Yimou is known for his films, Curse of the Golden Flower, and House of Flying Daggers.

Opening Berlinale on February 11th is the world premiere of Wang Quan’an’s Tuan Yuan (Apart Together). Organizers say, “The opening movie tells the story of a great love, while depicting the tragedy of a divided country. It tells the story of a soldier named Liu Yansheng, who had fled Shanghai to Taiwan in 1949, and met the love of his life after he returned to the mainland as an old man”.

Adding these four make seven Chinese films from Taiwan and Hong Kong to be shown at this year’s Berlin International Film Festival.