[Photo] Three Japanese Masterpieces Enter the Cannes Competition for the First Time in 25 Years...Japanese Directors Chasing the Palme d’Or

A Record of Waiting for 25 Years, as the World Turns Its Eyes to the Revival of Japanese Cinema

At the 79th 'Cannes Film Festival', three Japanese films entered the competition section side by side, signaling a seismic shift in the global film world. It is a landmark achievement—reaching the simultaneous competition entries of three Japanese films for the first time in 25 years.

The invited films are director Hirokazu Kore-eda’s 'Like a Box of Lamb', director Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s 'All of Us Strangers', and director Koji Fukada’s 'Nagi’s Note'. All three masters’ works have already completed official screenings, and they are being discussed as strong contenders for the prestigious 'Palme d’Or'.

In particular, director Hirokazu Kore-eda wrote a record this year with 10 Cannes invitations and 8 entries into the competition section. His new film, 'Like a Box of Lamb', is a carefully crafted work that depicts how a couple who has lost a child welcomes a humanoid as part of their family, winning strong praise from critics.

'Ryusuke Hamaguchi', Captivating Cannes with Razor-Sharp Insight

The next-generation auteur director Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s 'All of Us Strangers' earned an impressive 3.1 points on the festival’s Screen Daily rating, drawing overwhelming acclaim. Set against the backdrop of a care facility, the film tackles structural contradictions in the 'film industry' through its thematic awareness of caregiving and bonds.

At the press conference, he delivered a pointed critique of the “blind spots of the current system that does not treat actors as human beings.” It was a heavy message not only about artistic achievement, but about the industry as a whole. It is a moment that once again proves the strength he has demonstrated by conquering all three of the world’s major film festivals.

'Koji Fukada', An Aesthetics of Healing Completed with Poetic Restraint

Director Koji Fukada’s 'Nagi’s Note', which entered the Cannes competition section for the first time, also received high praise from English-language media. The UK’s 'The Guardian' lauded the film’s 'poetic restraint' and its finely tuned direction.

By perfectly capturing the healing process of two artists who search for a rural village while carrying their sense of loss—with a fully controlled mise-en-scène—he announced the birth of a new form of auteurism that 'Cannes Film Festival' is paying attention to.