Online Conversation with Tokyo Cowboy Director Marc Marriott: Cross-Cultural Business, Creative Collaboration & Filmmaking

Panelists: Marc Marriott (Director) and Brigham Taylor (Producer)

Moderators: Peter Tatara (Japan Society, Director of Film, Culture & Community) and David Janes (International House of Japan, Vice President, North America)

Last year, Japan Society hosted the New York Premiere of Tokyo Cowboy, an independent film centered around U.S.-Japan understanding both in front of and behind the camera. Now, on the occasion of Tokyo Cowboy coming to streaming and Blu-ray, Japan Society and the International House of Japan invite you to join a free online conversation with Tokyo Cowboy Director Marc Marriott, Producer Brigham Taylor and Actress and Writer Ayako Fujitani to discuss the film’s themes of cross-cultural business and creative collaboration, the very real cross-cultural lessons learned in its production, and how these topics connect with the current challenges and opportunities in the U.S.-Japan world.

Tokyo Cowboy follows businessman Hideki (Arata Iura) who travels from Japan to Montana after convincing his boss (Ayako Fujitani) he can turn a failing ranch there into a successful business producing wagyu beef. After meeting ranch hand Javier (Goya Robles) and owner Peg (Robin Weigert), he learns his plan may not be as simple as he believed. As things start to unravel, cultures clash and Hideki soon finds himself between two worlds. 

Tokyo Cowboy is the feature film directorial debut of American director Marc Marriott, who worked as a filmmaking apprentice to renowned Japanese director Yoji Yamada. It was written by Dave Boyle and Ayako Fujitani, shot by cinematographer Oscar Ignacio Jimenez, and edited by Yasu Inoue. Both American and Japanese and more, Tokyo Cowboy was created by talents from all over the planet collaborating together. 

Please join us for a free online conversation for anyone interested in U.S.-Japan business, creativity, filmmaking… and cowboys.

About Marc Marriott:

Marc Marriott is an award-winning producer/director of television and film. At the start of his career, Marriott lived in Japan and apprenticed with renowned Japanese filmmaker Yoji Yamada. The creative seed for Tokyo Cowboy was planted during that time. This is his first feature film as a director. During his professional career, Marriott has earned a reputation as a specialist in stories of real people in extraordinary situations; from the History Channel’s Ax Men, to the Discovery Channel’s Roush Racing: Driver X. He’s been a Series Producer and Director for the Discovery Channel, History Channel, FOX, VH1, TLC, and the Travel Channel, among others. Marriott is a graduate of the Masters directing program at UCLA. His first film, Short Order, won the Prix Canal Plus at the Henri Langlois International Film Festival in France, and his short film The Snow Child played at Cannes. Tokyo Cowboy was recently awarded Theatrical Film of the Year at the Western Heritage Awards sponsored by the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. Tokyo Cowboy also won the Best Narrative Feature Award at the Tallgrass Film Festival, the Sedona International Film Festival, the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival and at Zions Indie Film Festival. Marriott is a member of the Producers Guild of America.

About Brigham Taylor:

Brigham Taylor is a feature film producer best known for producing live-action Walt Disney Studios films. He produced The Jungle Book with director Jon Favreau, Christopher Robin, and Lady and The Tramp as one of the marquee launch titles for Disney+, along with The One and Only Ivan. He was an Executive Producer on Tomorrowland and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. Other projects in development include adaptations of The Rocketeer, The Rescuers, Ichabod Crane and more. Brigham has been associated with Walt Disney Studios since 1994, when he joined the company as a production assistant and grew to Executive Vice President of Production. As an executive, he oversaw many of the studio’s blockbuster films, including the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Tron: Legacy, Chronicles of Narnia and Oz: The Great and Powerful. Brigham is a member of the Producers Guild of America. 

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Japan Society’s 120th anniversary initiatives and related programs are generously supported by Champion Sponsor, MUFG Bank, Ltd.; Advocate Sponsor, Mizuho Americas; and Friend Sponsor, Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas).

Japan Society programs are supported by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

Additional support for cultural programs is provided by an anonymous donor; Sendon and BuyJapon; the Sandy Heck Lecture Fund; and Anime NYC.