A terrifying smartphone curse takes center stage in the Japanese horror film following its world premiere at the 2026 Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival in South Korea.
MANILA, PHILIPPINES – What if a video on your phone could predict the exact moment of your death? Get ready for a chilling new Japanese horror experience as CURSED MEME, distributed in the Philippines by Mockingbird Pictures, opens in Philippine cinemas on November 25, 2026.
Officially selected for the Bucheon Choice World feature-film section of the 2026 Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN) in South Korea, the film made its world premiere in July, bringing a fresh and terrifying concept to the Japanese horror genre.
Directed by award-winning filmmaker Kan Yamamoto, CURSED MEME transforms an everyday smartphone into the center of a horrifying supernatural mystery, where watching a video could mean receiving a death sentence.
A CURSE YOU CAN’T ESCAPE
After losing her best friend in an accident, high school student Yura Sakaki (Ikoi Hayase) finds herself increasingly isolated as she begins experiencing strange things that others cannot see.
Her life takes a terrifying turn when she and her classmates discover an old, battered smartphone while cleaning an abandoned school building. A disturbing video suddenly plays on the device, drawing them into a mysterious curse that sends AI-generated videos showing each recipient’s own death.
What initially seems like an unsettling digital mystery soon becomes a deadly nightmare. One by one, those who receive the videos die in exactly the ways shown on their screens.
As the horrifying incidents continue, Yura uncovers the existence of Kinosita-san, the mysterious entity believed to be behind the curse. But the closer she gets to the truth, the more terrifying the consequences become. Can she uncover the secret and break the curse before becoming its next victim?
AN AWARD-WINNING DIRECTOR AND A RISING YOUNG CAST
Bringing the frightening story to life is director Kan Yamamoto, who previously earned the Best New Director award at the TAMA Film Awards and the New Director Grand Prix at the Takasaki Film Festival for The Star I Watch This Summer (Kono Natsu no Hoshi wo Miru).
With CURSED MEME, Yamamoto explores a darker side of digital connection, shifting from stories of young people connecting online to a chilling tale of technology, fear, and supernatural forces.
Leading the cast is Ikoi Hayase as Yura Sakaki in her first solo film-starring role. Joining her are Airu Kubozuka as Rion Kusakabe, Baku Idegami as Kaori Shinomiya, Alisa Sakamaki as Chiaki Kazami, Mamoru Hagiwara as Souma Takatsuki, Masahiro Sunada as Ryusei Hayashi, and Sono Hiramatsu as Kotoha Hanai.
Combining the unsettling atmosphere of classic Japanese horror with contemporary fears surrounding artificial intelligence, digital surveillance, and online connections, CURSED MEME offers a disturbing reminder of how something as familiar as a smartphone can become a source of unimaginable terror.
Because sometimes, the scariest thing isn’t what appears on your screen. It’s knowing that once you’ve watched it, there’s no turning back.
Some videos are better left unwatched.
CURSED MEME IN PHILIPPINE CINEMAS
Opening November 25, 2026
Genre: Horror
Country: Japan
Director: Kan Yamamoto
Screenwriters: Kan Yamamoto and Mash Morino
Production Company: LesPros Entertainment
Japanese Distributor: Shochiku
Philippine Distributor: Mockingbird Pictures
Starring: Ikoi Hayase, Airu Kubozuka, Baku Idegami, Alisa Sakamaki, Mamoru Hagiwara, Masahiro Sunada, and Sono Hiramatsu.
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