Kore-eda's Look Back Live-Action Adaptation Opens in Hong Kong September 17, Competes for Golden Lion
AM730 · 1 SOURCES1 day ago2 MIN
Summary
Hirokazu Kore-eda, the Japanese auteur behind the Palme d'Or-winning Shoplifters, has directed, written, and edited a live-action adaptation of Look Back, the celebrated manga by Tatsuki Fujimoto. The film, starring Natsuki Deguchi and Ayaka Makita as two girls whose lives intersect through their love of manga, will open in Hong Kong on September 17. Notably, Look Back has been selected for the main competition at the 83rd Venice Film Festival, competing for the festival's highest honour, the Golden Lion. This marks Kore-eda's return to Venice's main competition for the first time since his 2019 film The Truth.
Key Points
- The original animated Look Back won the Hochi Film Award for Best Animation and the Japan Academy Prize for Best Animation
- Kore-eda encountered Fujimoto's manga in a bookstore and felt a deep connection to the story's themes about artistic dedication
- Deguchi and Makita previously worked with Kore-eda on the Netflix series Maestro in the Kitchen, reuniting for these leading roles
- The narrative spans 13 years, tracing the characters' journeys from elementary school through young adulthood
- The Venice Film Festival marks its 83rd edition this year, with Kore-eda being the first Japanese director in three years to enter the main competition
Why It Matters
Kore-eda's adaptation bridges Japanese cinema's most celebrated contemporary director with the influential manga artist Fujimoto, whose works have shaped a generation of creators. For Hong Kong viewers, the film offers an intimate exploration of artistic rivalry and friendship that resonates beyond cultural boundaries, reflecting universal themes of creative passion and personal growth. The film's Venice selection also signals the growing intersection between anime and live-action cinema in international arthouse circuits .
Kore-eda's adaptation bridges Japanese cinema's most celebrated contemporary director with the influential manga artist Fujimoto, whose works have shaped a generation of creators. For Hong Kong viewers, the film offers an intimate exploration of artistic rivalry and friendship that resonates beyond cultural boundaries, reflecting universal themes of creative passion and personal growth. The film's Venice selection also signals the growing intersection between anime and live-action cinema in international arthouse circuits .