Disney has announced that its new documentary, “The Contestant”, is going to be released on Hulu and Hulu On Disney+ in the United States on May 2nd 2024.  The film will also be coming to Star+ in Latin America and Disney+ in select other territories, though no international release date has been announced.

This true story of a Japanese reality TV star left naked in a room for more than a year, tasked with filling out magazine sweepstakes to earn food and clothing, prompts innumerable questions about our culture of oversharing. Before the onslaught of reality television in the West, there was an ominous harbinger in Japan of what was to come in our oversharing-obsessed culture.

The Contestant traces the experience of aspiring comedian Tomoaki Hamatsu, nicknamed Nasubi, who unwittingly became an extreme case study. In 1998, Nasubi thought he was attending an audition when a successful Japanese TV producer, Toshio Tsuchiya, enlisted him to take part in a challenge.

Tsuchiya led Nasubi into a room, ordered him to strip naked and left him with a stack of magazines. Nasubi’s task was to fill out contest coupons in order to win what he needed to survive – food, clothing, appliances, etc. – until he reached the prize goal of one million yen. Although Nasubi could have left at any time, he stayed for months with a fierce determination to complete his mission. He was cut off from all contact with his family and the world except for occasional interactions with Tsuchiya.

What Nasubi didn’t realize was that his experiences were being broadcast to over 15 million people in a TV show called Denpa Shonen: A Life in Prizes. Without his knowledge or consent, Nasubi became the most famous television personality in Japan. While parts of Nasubi’s infamy have been recounted before on YouTube and This American Life, director Clair Titley and producer Megumi Inman bring a revelatory depth of insight by interviewing Nasubi, Tsuchiya, and others close to them. The filmmakers explore further twists in Nasubi’s life after Denpa Shonen to deliver the most WTF story in this year’s documentary selection.

The film is written and directed by Clair Titley.  It has been produced by Megumi Inman, Andee Ryder, Ian Bonhôte and Denpa Shonen.  The documentary features Fred Armisen as the voice of Nasubi’s Diary.

Are you looking forward to watching “The Contestant”?  Let us know on social media!

Roger Palmer

Roger has been a Disney fan since he was a kid and this interest has grown over the years. He has visited Disney Parks around the globe and has a vast collection of Disney movies and collectibles. He is the owner of What's On Disney Plus & DisKingdom. Email: Roger@WhatsOnDisneyPlus.com Twitter: Twitter.com/RogPalmerUK Facebook: Facebook.com/rogpalmeruk

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