Overview
- The film premiered in the U.S. Dramatic Competition at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival where director Josef Kubota Wladyka won the U.S. Dramatic Directing Award and the film was widely called a breakout.
- Sony Pictures Classics acquired worldwide rights and announced a theatrical release date of September 25, 2026 as part of a fall specialty run.
- The distributor released the first official trailer and poster in late July 2026 to begin marketing the film to arthouse audiences.
- Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty! stars Oscar nominee Rinko Kikuchi as a Tokyo ballroom dancer who returns to the studio after her partner’s death and navigates new romance, with the film mixing euphoric dance sequences and touches of magical realism.
- The acquisition and festival prize raise the film’s awards and commercial visibility, and Sony Pictures Classics’ specialty release strategy could help it reach critics, fall audiences, and awards voters.