BRDGE launches in Japan to turn film fans into partners with filmmakers
BRDGE, Jeffrey Rowe’s curated film discovery network, has launched in Japan on Hiway. Its first 100 Builders earn 25% on the film rentals they refer.
In this article
- What BRDGE is and why it launched
- How the BRDGE Builders programme works
- Rules of Living, the first film on the network
- How Hiway powers BRDGE’s viewing service
- How filmmakers can bring a film to BRDGE
Help a film find its audience
BRDGE launched publicly on 5 October 2026. It is a curated film discovery network founded by actor and producer Jeffrey Rowe. It is based in Okinawa, Japan.
The idea is simple. You discover a film. You think of someone who would love it. You share it.
BRDGE brings together viewers, filmmakers, creators and organisations under one banner: “Help a film find its audience.” Films reach people through personal recommendations, not algorithms.
This is Hiway’s first launch in Japan. We are proud to power it.
How the BRDGE Builders programme works
Approved Builders earn 25% commission on qualifying film rentals referred through their own BRDGE link. There is no minimum follower count.
A recommendation can take many forms:
- a direct message to a friend or relative
- a post for an established audience
- a share within a community
“A film recommendation can be as simple as, ‘I watched this and thought of you,’” said Rowe. “You don’t need thousands of followers to know someone’s taste.”
Commission is calculated after discounts, taxes, fees and refunds, under the programme’s terms. Builders have no obligation to praise or promote any film.
BRDGE is inviting applications for its first 100 Builders. You can apply to become a BRDGE Builder on the BRDGE site.
Rules of Living is the first film
The first Builder group starts with Rules of Living. It is a Japan-set comedy-drama directed by Greg Dale and produced by Rowe.
The film has won three festival awards:
- Best Feature Comedy at the Sedona International Film Festival
- Best Narrative Feature at the Twelve Lions Film Festival
- the Audience Award at the Los Alamos Film Festival
Selected Builders receive free access to the film. They also get guidance on how the programme works and promotional materials, should they choose to recommend it.
One film every one to two weeks
BRDGE plans to introduce a newly curated feature every one to two weeks. Each film gets time for the network to discover it and work out who it might connect with.
The approach comes from Rowe’s own release of Rules of Living.
“We saw our film connect with festival audiences, but reaching people beyond those screenings was a different challenge. That experience led me to build BRDGE.”
How Hiway powers BRDGE
BRDGE’s viewing service runs on Hiway. Hiway provides direct-to-fan distribution infrastructure for content owners. BRDGE focuses on curation, discovery and helping viewers share films.
The split matters. Filmmakers and rights holders use Hiway to manage their films, set pricing and choose viewing territories. They can then syndicate titles to partner networks like BRDGE.
They keep ownership throughout. The master file never moves. It stays in the owner’s library and streams from there, even when BRDGE shows it.
Jeffrey understands something much of the industry still misses. An audience is worth more than a distribution deal. On BRDGE, the audience has a stake in the films it champions. The filmmaker keeps the audience it creates, and can see how each title performs.
Bring your film to BRDGE
BRDGE welcomes conversations with filmmakers, producers and sales representatives. It is looking for narrative and documentary features to introduce to new audiences.
If you represent a catalogue of films, BRDGE is a new route to viewers in Japan and beyond. Book a call with the Hiway team to set your titles up for syndication.
You can discover films on BRDGE today.
What is BRDGE?
BRDGE is a curated film discovery network founded by actor and producer Jeffrey Rowe. It helps feature films find audiences through personal recommendations and referral partnerships. It is operated by Market Tailor GK, based in Tokyo with an office in Okinawa, Japan. Its viewing service is powered by Hiway.
How much do BRDGE Builders earn?
Approved BRDGE Builders earn 25% commission on qualifying film rentals referred through their own BRDGE link. Commission is calculated after discounts, taxes, fees and refunds, under the programme’s terms. No minimum follower count is needed to apply.
What is the first film on BRDGE?
The first film is Rules of Living, a Japan-set comedy-drama directed by Greg Dale and produced by Jeffrey Rowe. It won Best Feature Comedy at the Sedona International Film Festival and the Audience Award at the Los Alamos Film Festival. BRDGE plans to add a new curated feature every one to two weeks.
Can filmmakers submit a film to BRDGE?
Yes. BRDGE welcomes filmmakers, producers and sales representatives with narrative or documentary features. Titles reach BRDGE through Hiway, which lets rights holders set pricing and territories and syndicate films to partner networks. The filmmaker keeps ownership of the film throughout.