Japanese Cinema Takes Over Cannes 2026: Kore-eda, Fukada & Hamaguchi Compete for Palme d’Or

On April 10, 2026, the Cannes Film Festival unveiled its movie lineup, much to the delight of Japanese cinema enthusiasts, as this year's festival features a significant presence of Japanese auteurs. Notably, these are directors we've praised on our site since we founded The A.M View.

Hirokazu Kore-eda, Koji Fukada, and Ryusuke Hamaguchi are all set to debut their next projects at this year's Cannes Film Festival, competing for the prestigious Palme d'Or award.

According to some Japanese sources on the social media platform X, this is the first time since the inception of the award that 3 Japanese directors are competing for the award at the same time.

Personally, these are 3 directors who have massively shaped my view and image of cinema and even life in general. Particularly, Kore-eda and Fukada have had a profound impact on my cinematic journey over the past 10 years, so it's a particularly special moment for me as a long-term admirer of their talent and abilities to see them represented at the apex of film celebrations in the Cannes Film Festival.

Here are plot summaries of each of their movies:

Sheep in the Box

Set in the near future, this sci-fi drama centers on a mourning couple who, after the tragic loss of their young son, introduce a sophisticated humanoid robot into their household as his replacement.

As the artificial child becomes part of their lives, the narrative delves into the emotional and ethical conflicts between technology and human sorrow, probing whether love, memory, and family can genuinely be replicated.

Nagi Notes

This character-focused drama unfolds in a tranquil rural town. It revolves around Yoriko, an artist struggling to let go of a past relationship, and Yuri, an architect who has recently separated and comes to visit her.

As they reconnect, their time together turns into a contemplative exploration of memory, identity, and unresolved feelings, illustrating how art, friendship, and shared history influence their lives.

All Of A Sudden

Marking Ryusuke Hamaguchi's debut in foreign films, this international drama is set mainly in France. It centers on a nursing home director who is attempting to introduce a compassionate care approach known as “Humanitude.”

Her life takes a turn upon meeting a terminally ill Japanese playwright, resulting in a deep bond that delves into themes of illness, dignity, and the essence of care across different cultures.

Of the three films, I am most eager to watch Kore-eda's "Sheep In The Box." The year 2026 is looking to be extremely busy for Mr. Still Walking, as he is also set to direct the live-action adaptation of the popular manga "Look Back," which is also scheduled for release later this year. Unlike "Look Back," "Sheep In The Box" is entirely written by Kore-eda.

An intriguing aspect of this film is that it marks the first time Kore-eda incorporates a Sci-Fi element into his mainline films. I specify mainline because he previously explored time travel and robots in his collaboration with Apple titled "The Last Scene."