Alexandre “Osmoze” Brakha

Meet Alexandre “Osmoze” Brakha, the Award-winning director and multidisciplinary artist based in Tokyo, Japan.

Working with creative agencies, production companies, and animation studios, Osmoze has been responsible for directing and artistically developing various types of projects, including TV show pilots, series, short films, feature films, commercials, music videos, title sequences, and video game trailers for top brands, collaborating with game developers worldwide.

Osmoze has directed festival-nominated animation projects using innovative digital and hybrid tools, as well as traditional artistic techniques. He is also proficient in film direction, thanks to his extensive experience in pre-production and visual effects.

In the creative process, he believes that it is essential for content and form to come together, as this is the key to creating a coherent and astonishing project. Above all, he always strives to create compelling visual styles that enhance storytelling.

Death on Wheels is an action horrific thriller set in contemporary Japan, with the main action surrounding a motorcycle trip from Hong Kong to Kyushu island, to finish in the mysterious mountains of Hakone near Mount Fuji.

Three hired guns pull off a heist of a mysterious relic and must deliver it to a yakuza boss before a mysterious demon hunts them down.

Inspired by seinen manga, horror folklore of Japan, and Western slasher movies, we immerse ourselves in a deadly road trip, where what seems like a “normal” heist takes a sudden turn to the darkly supernatural.

The pivotal moment brings that feeling of fear and wonder when the situation turns to horror for the gangster Seth Gecko in FROM DUSK TILL DAWN, the uneasiness when Asakawa presses “play” to watch the VHS for the first time in RING, the cold sweat running down Danny’s back in the heavy, supernatural silence of the Overlook Hotel corridors in THE SHINING…

Emotional, cinematic, and anchored in each character’s psyche, Death on Wheels is a heartfelt tribute to THE TWILIGHT ZONE, THE OUTER LIMITS and Asian fantasy horror stories… but also inspired by intense thrillers like SE7EN, TRUE DETECTIVE, and more recently horrific pieces like THE MENU, NOPE and more, in its use of high sense of suspense… a fusion of human drama and supernatural fear.

Fantasy and horrific are specific film genres that have unexpectedly evolved over the last 30 years. These genres passed from a niche to global blockbusters in the sub-genres of zombie movies or horror classic remakes. With Death on Wheels, it is renewing the genre by mixing it with other ones.

Death on Wheels is deeply rooted in the tradition of the 90’s horror/fantasy movies and series where the occult and the supernatural actually depict society with some accuracy and insight. Using the unexpected to talk about good and evil is more impactful, enhancing simple emotions through supernatural and terrifying elements. Death on Wheels is influenced by masters like Romero, Masahiro Ito, Friedkin, and Kubrick and by iconic TV shows like THE TWILIGHT ZONE, THE OUTER LIMITS, or CREEPSHOW.

The story also explores the nature of human beings. The supernatural terror of the Oni unleashed on these gangsters is a way to personify the bad that exists in all of them. Friendship, betrayal, devotion, selfishness, braveness, cowardness, and cruelty are all exaggerated and spotlighted to make the subject of the film impressive and terrifically strong.

SYNOPSIS

When three bikers try to escape after a mysterious hold-up ordered by an old Japanese Mafia godfather, the Yakuza, they are pursued by Interpol agents and a mysterious black-clad rider.

After a game of cat-and-mouse, murders, and epic chase scenes through remote landscapes in Japan, these three gangsters and the Black Rider meet in a terrifying and extremely violent climax.
Blending action, dark fantasy, and thriller elements, Death on Wheels is the perfect blend of Western cinema’s dramatic storytelling and the sharp sense of suspense and action of Japanese cinema.

Ghost stories are an integral part of Japanese culture and folklore. The origin of the word Oni seems to derive from the on’yomi reading of the character “隠,” meaning “to hide” or “to conceal” because the Oni were originally spirits or gods who caused disasters, diseases, and other unpleasant manifestations. But Oni can sometimes lose their original nastiness to play a more protective role.

And that’s what a Yakuza Oyabun named Nobu Nakata believes – the power of Oni to protect. A relic suddenly appeared to him over 50 years ago when Nakata was near death. The relic contained the spirit of a powerful but deadly Oni.

His life and rise in the criminal underworld are strangely tied to this relic of the Oni. But did the Oni save him, or did it curse him?

Years ago, the police seized all of his property, and the relic disappeared. It recently surfaced in Hong Kong when a wealthy Chinese businessman acquired it. Nobu Nakata hires mercenaries to recover the precious relic.

The action moves Northeast during the entire story – a direction which was previously called kimon (鬼門 “demonic door”). And before long, the mercenaries on the run will face this demon and be forced to atone for their faults, failings and buried sins.

The Fantasy Thriller elements of the Oni, combined with the fear instilled by working for a mysterious mafia boss, cast the three outlaw protagonists into a story with palpable tension and fear that cuts deep.

These gangsters, who appear to be afraid of nothing, are confronted with the appalling fear not only of horrific death on the mountain highways of Japan but of having to face the most terrifying thing of all: their own truth.

Alexandre “Osmoze” Brakha’s next project, BTU, is revolutionizing the entertainment industry with its pioneering 360 IP, offering an unparalleled blend of visual artistry, captivating music, and trend-setting concepts! BTU, Beat Them Up, is mixing Fantasy Action, Music and classic japanese Shonen.

SYNOPSIS

Hiroko, a young DJ, rises in a cruel world where competition is ruthless and often perilous. Set against a fantastical universe where DJs can summon incredible Bea(s)t during epic battles, BTU transcends the conventional Shonen narrative. We talk about the link between artists and their work.

Themes include exploring the relationship between artist and creation as well as spirituality in opposition to the commercialization of art. Currently in development with Megalis vfx in Japan (Oni: Thunder God’s Tales on Netflix), BTU will mix CGI, 2D, and Motion Graphics animation techniques to create a real innovative IP.

IN THIS ISSUE

Alexandre “Osmoze” Brakha

30
Apr

ZOOLOOK

30
Apr

IRIE Twofers Playlist #9

30
Apr