Acclaimed Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda has emerged as a top contender at the Venice Film Festival with his latest project, “Look Back.” The film, a tender coming-of-age story centered on two school friends who aspire to become manga artists, is an adaptation of a popular work by Tatsuki Fujimoto. Kore-eda, who previously won acclaim for his 2018 film “Shoplifters,” discovered the source material by chance during the Covid-19 pandemic. Reflecting on the project during a press conference on Monday, the director shared that reading the manga provided him with a sense of encouragement and a push to move forward.
International critics have responded warmly to the film, positioning it as a festival favorite alongside Lee Chang-dong’s “Possible Love” and Martin McDonagh’s “Wild Horse Nine.” Variety praised the production as a “moving tribute to friendship,” while IndieWire noted its ability to draw “rich and dazzling new textures from manga and anime.” Despite this positive reception, some reviewers, including those at Screen magazine, found the work “overly sentimental.” The film is one of 21 productions competing for the prestigious Golden Lion, which will be awarded at the closing ceremony this Saturday.
Kore-eda, 64, noted that he is capitalizing on the global surge in manga popularity, a medium he feels has become widely accepted compared to his own childhood. Known for his focus on the lives of ordinary people in films like “Like Father, Like Son” and “Nobody Knows,” the director remains prolific, often balancing multiple projects simultaneously. His recent work follows his presentation of “Sheep in the Box” at the Cannes Film Festival in May, which explored the story of a grieving couple and a humanoid robot.
In a separate spotlight at the festival, actor-director Casey Affleck debuted his new gothic drama, “Company,” which is also vying for the Golden Lion. The film features a complex narrative of interlocking stories and marks Affleck’s third directorial effort. A notable aspect of the production is the casting of his sons, 22-year-old Indiana and 18-year-old Atticus, in their first professional roles. Affleck, 51, described the experience of working with his children as the best professional moment of his life, noting that they were initially hesitant to join the project.
The premiere of “Company” served as a family reunion, with Casey joined by his brother, Ben Affleck, on the red carpet. During a press conference on Tuesday, Casey spoke candidly about the personal toll of the past year, revealing that he lost both his parents. He expressed a deep regret that he could not share the finished film with them, stating they were very important to him. The film itself has received a polarized critical response; while The Guardian highlighted its “creepy campfire tales,” the Hollywood Reporter dismissed it as a “dull existential drama,” and The Wrap labeled it a “frustrating slog.” The report also notes that “After reading this manga, it was as if someone had pushed me to move forward, had somehow encouraged me,” the director told reporters on Monday. The report also notes that kore-eda is looking to benefit from a global surge in the popularity of manga by choosing the commercially successful work of Fujimoto whose other leading titles include “Chainsaw Man” and “Fire Punch”. The report also notes that “When I was a child, we were told that if all we read was manga, we wouldn’t grow up properly. The report also notes that these days, manga is spreading everywhere. The report also notes that the hard-working 64-year-old is a favourite on the European festival circuit. The report also notes that “Usually in my head, I’m already preparing for about three movies at a time,” he said and other journalists on Tuesday. The report also notes that “I really wanted to show this movie to them and I didn’t get to.
Comments