Rinko Kikuchi Celebrates Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty! at TIFF 2026
The Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty! TIFF 2026 celebration continued after the film’s Toronto screening. JDM Pictures hosted the post-premiere gathering at Cassius on King West. The event formed part of this year’s Campari Cinema Center programming.
The evening welcomed cast members, filmmakers, and industry guests to the newly renovated venue. Campari cocktails, Poppi sodas, food, and conversation filled the night. The Cayman Islands, Lavazza, Poppi, Rodeo FX, and Anderson College presented the soirée.
Rinko Kikuchi Joins the TIFF Celebration
Academy Award-nominated actor Rinko Kikuchi took centre stage during the celebration. She attended in a black lace cut-out gown and spent the evening meeting guests. Kikuchi also joined her cast and creative team for photos.
Kikuchi posed alongside YOU, Yoh Yoshida, and director Josef Kubota Wladyka during the event. The group celebrated the film’s latest festival appearance together. Guests moved between conversations and photo opportunities throughout Cassius.
Kikuchi earned an Academy Award nomination for her performance in Babel, rather than an Oscar win. Her latest role places her at the centre of a story about grief and ballroom dance. Screen Daily praised her performance while reviewing the film after its Sundance debut.
What Is Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty! About?
The film follows Haru and Luis, a couple competing in Tokyo’s ballroom dance scene. Tragedy later pushes Haru into isolation and away from dancing. Her friends eventually encourage her to return to the studio.
There, Haru develops feelings for a new dance instructor named Fedir. Her return to dance becomes part of a larger journey through loss. The film blends comedy, romance, fantasy, and emotionally driven dance sequences.
Josef Kubota Wladyka directed the film and co-wrote it with Nicholas Huynh. The cast also includes Alberto Guerra, Alejandro Edda, Damián Alcázar, YOU, and Yoh Yoshida. Wladyka drew inspiration from his mother, who continues competitive ballroom dancing later in life.
From Sundance to Toronto
Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty! first debuted at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival. Wladyka won Sundance’s U.S. Dramatic directing honour for the film. Sony Pictures Classics later acquired worldwide rights following its festival debut.
The film then joined the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival lineup. TIFF screened it at the Royal Alexandra Theatre on September 15. Another Toronto screening followed at Scotiabank Theatre on September 16.
TheWrap highlighted Kikuchi’s ability to balance the film’s humour and heavier emotional material. Screen Daily similarly noted her role in grounding the film’s eccentric tone. Both reviews placed her performance at the centre of the film’s appeal.
Inside the Campari Cinema Center Party
The post-premiere gathering shifted attention from the screen to the film’s creative team. Kikuchi moved through the room while speaking with attendees and posing for photos. Her castmates joined throughout the evening.
Cassius on King West hosted the celebration as part of Campari Cinema Center. The TIFF program has brought together premiere parties and entertainment industry events during the festival. This gathering gave the Ha-Chan team another opportunity to celebrate its Toronto stop.
Sony Pictures Classics plans to release the film in select theatres on September 25, 2026. Canadian distributor Mongrel Media also lists the film for a September 25 theatrical release. Toronto audiences will soon have another opportunity to see the film beyond TIFF.
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References:
- ‘Ha-chan: Shake Your Booty!’ review: Rinko Kikuchi sparks in playful ballroom dance drama
- ‘Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!’ Review: Rinko Kikuchi and a Singular Tone Keep Quirky Dramedy on Beat
- Alberto Guerra y Alejandro Edda nos recuerdan que los hispanos somos fundamentales en el cine
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