Sundance Winner HA-CHAN, SHAKE YOUR BOOTY! Gets U.S. Release
The film received the U.S. Dramatic Directing Award and a standing ovation at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, along with his mother, the real-life Ha-Chan.
Sony Pictures Classics will release HA-CHAN, SHAKE YOUR BOOTY! in theaters nationwide on September 25, 2026. Co-written by Josef Kubota Wladyka and Nicholas Huynh and directed by Josef Kubota Wladyka, the film received the U.S. Dramatic Directing Award and a standing ovation at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, along with his mother, the real-life Ha-Chan.
Inspired by the spirit of Josef’s mother, Ha-Chan, HA-CHAN, SHAKE YOUR BOOTY! follows Haru and Luis who love competing in Tokyo’s ballroom dance scene, but after tragedy strikes, Haru withdraws into isolation. When friends coax her back to the studio, she develops an infatuation with the new instructor. She must face what comes next as sparks fly.
The film, which was shot in Tokyo, stars Academy Award and Golden Globe nominee Rinko Kikuchi (BABEL, THE BROTHERS BLOOM), Alberto Guerra (GRISELDA, NARCOS: MEXICO), Alejandro Edda (AMERICAN MADE, NARCOS: MEXICO), YOU (COME COME EVERYBODY, 9 BORDER) Yoh Yoshida (FLYING COLORS, POISON BERRY IN MY BRAIN) and Damián Alcázar (THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: PRINCE CASPIAN).
Additional notable film creatives include composer Nathan Halpern, cinematographer Daniel Satinoff and editor Benjamin Rodriguez, Jr. Producers include Kimberly Parker Zox and Mao Nagakura.
Photo Credit: Daniel Satinoff
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