With Three Films in Cannes Competition, Japan Reasserts Itself as a Cinema Powerhouse

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At the 79th Cannes Film Festival, which opened in France on May 12, three films by Japanese directors have been selected for the Competition section, where they will vie for the Palme d'Or, the festival's top prize.

It is the first time in 25 years, since 2001, that three Japanese-directed films are competing at Cannes in the same year. With much of Asian cinema struggling for visibility, film journalist Atsuko Tatsuta says Japan is once again strengthening its presence on the world stage.

The three Japanese films selected for Competition are Sheep in the Box, directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda; All of a Sudden, directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi; and Nagi Notes, directed by Koji Fukada.

Veterans Return to the Spotlight

Kore-eda is no stranger to Cannes. In 2004, Nobody Knows earned Yuya Yagira, then 14, the Best Actor award, making him the first Japanese performer—and the youngest actor in Cannes history — to win the prize. Kore-eda went on to win the Jury Prize in 2013 for Like Father, Like Son, before claiming the Palme d'Or in 2018 with Shoplifters.

"Kore-eda is a Cannes regular, so once his latest film was finished, its selection was widely expected," Tatsuta said.

Hamaguchi has also become a familiar name at Cannes. His Asako I & II was selected for Competition in 2018, and Drive My Car won Best Screenplay in 2021.

Tatsuta noted that his latest film was shot in France and is a Japan-France-Germany-Belgium co-production. Its lead, Virginie Efira, is one of France's best-known actresses. "After Drive My Car also won the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film, Hamaguchi has attracted even greater attention as a director of global stature," she said.

A First Competition Slot for Fukada

Fukada, meanwhile, won the Jury Prize in the festival's Un Certain Regard sidebar in 2016 for Harmonium. This year marks his first selection for the main Competition.

"For me, the most interesting point is that Fukada has been selected alongside two of Japan's biggest directors," Tatsuta said.

As for the chances of a Japanese film taking a prize, Tatsuta says much could hinge on South Korean director Park Chan-wook, this year's jury president.

Cannes jury presidents have at times been seen as favoring filmmakers from their own countries. Park, however, also has a background as a film critic, and Tatsuta says one thing to watch is "whether he follows through on his judgment as a critic."

The awards ceremony will be held on May 23, local time.