Hirokazu Koreeda Opens Up About Coming-of-Age Drama ‘Look Back’
The Hollywood Reporter • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Hirokazu Koreeda returns to his signature gentle humanism with Look Back, a poignant drama about childhood, friendship, and artistic ambition, featuring standout performances from young actors Furi Nanase and Rokka Okada.
- The film adapts Tatsuki Fujimoto’s acclaimed manga, focusing on two girls who bond over creating manga together, tracing their relationship over 13 years as they grow, succeed, and face personal and professional challenges.
- Shot over a year in Japan’s Tohoku region, Look Back captures the beauty of rural childhood and creatively interprets manga visuals into live-action while deepening character development for cinematic storytelling.
- Koreeda was deeply moved by the original manga and emphasized themes of loss, growth, and the enduring passion for art, drawing on personal emotions as a father and his admiration for children’s dedication.
- Despite a prolific recent output including a Netflix series and two 2024 films, Koreeda plans to continue working actively, already scripting his next project following Look Back’s Venice Film Festival premiere.
