‘Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter,’ the Zellners’ Now Hard-to-See Sundance Classic, Will Return to Theaters

The urban legend of a woman who died trying to find the fictional “Fargo” suitcase full of cash became an indie drama breakout hit for filmmakers the Zellner Brothers.

The Zellners debuted “Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter” at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival, capturing the tale of a Tokyo-based office worker, played by Oscar-nominated “Babel” star Rinko Kikuchi, who trekked to Minneapolis, Minnesota, in search of the money that Steve Buscemi’s character buries in the snow at the end of the Coens’ “Fargo.” The blurring of fact and fiction, reality and film, turned “Kumiko” into a cult classic in the making. And the film has since been notoriously hard to find, as it’s not currently available on streaming platforms.

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Now, in honor of the film’s 10-year anniversary, Bleecker Street is re-releasing the feature in theaters and on demand. “Kumiko” is directed by David Zellner from a script he co-wrote with his brother Nathan Zellner. IndieWire critic David Ehrlich previously called “Kumiko” “one of the best films to ever premiere at Sundance.” Oscar-nominated writer-director Alexander Payne executive produced the film, along with producers Nathan Zellner, Chris Ohlson, Andrew Banks, and Jim Burke.

Director David Zellner formerly told IndieWire that “Kumiko” had a decade of pre-production to ensure that it would not “just be another tragic news story.”

Bleecker Street recently partnered with the Zellner Brothers for their 2024 Sundance film “Sasquatch Sunset,” which stars Riley Keough and Jesse Eisenberg as two sasquatch that form a family. “Sasquatch Sunset” will open in select theaters April 12, with a nationwide release to follow April 19.

“Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter” premieres March 22 in select theaters and will be available on demand April 2, courtesy of Bleecker Street. Check out the new trailer below.

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