Director Hirokazu Kore-eda’s live-action adaptation of “Look Back” has been selected for the competition section of the 83rd Venice International Film Festival, marking his fourth time competing at the festival and his first appearance there in seven years.
The film, starring Natsuki Deguchi and Ayaju Makita in the lead roles, is based on Tatsuki Fujimoto’s manga of the same name. It follows Fujino, a confident young manga artist, and Kyomoto, a reclusive classmate with extraordinary drawing talent, as their shared devotion to manga bonds them over a 13-year journey that begins in elementary school. Fuuri Nanase and Rikka Okada play the younger versions of Fujino and Kyomoto. Deguchi and Makita previously appeared together in the Netflix series “The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House.”
Kore-eda’s connection to Venice dates back three decades: his directorial debut, “Maborosi,” won the Golden Osella at the festival in 1995. He returned to the competition lineup with “The Third Murder” in 2017 and “The Truth” in 2019. The 83rd edition of the festival runs from September 2 to 12 in Italy, with Kore-eda, Deguchi and Makita all expected to attend — the first Venice trip for both actresses.
In a statement, Kore-eda said that during the COVID-19 pandemic, when his profession was labeled “nonessential,” he found himself questioning the value of the work he had devoted his life to. He credited Fujimoto’s “Look Back” manga with helping him regain his sense of purpose, saying he thanked the author in person and later committed to honoring that gratitude through his own work. He called returning to Venice, where his debut film once screened, “a special feeling.”
Deguchi and Makita both expressed excitement about attending the festival alongside Kore-eda, while producer Daiki Koide described an early test screening attended by Fujimoto, cast and crew as an emotional milestone ahead of the film’s world premiere.
To mark the Venice selection, Shueisha is offering the original “Look Back” manga free to read on its Shonen Jump+ platform from July 24 to 31. The film also earned a Special Presentations slot at the 51st Toronto International Film Festival and is set for release in Japan on September 11, alongside confirmed releases in Taiwan, Hong Kong and South Korea. GKIDS will distribute the film in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Ireland. The supporting cast includes Masaki Suda, Kankuro Kudo, Kayo Noro, Ryo Ikeda, Miyu Sasaki and Maho Yamada.
Who is Hirokazu Kore-eda?
Hirokazu Kore-eda (是枝裕和) is one of Japan’s most internationally recognized filmmakers, known for character-driven dramas exploring family bonds. His film “Shoplifters” won the Palme d’Or at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival, and “Broker” earned him further international acclaim. His 1995 debut “Maborosi” won the Golden Osella at Venice, and he has since returned to the festival’s competition lineup with “The Third Murder” (2017) and “The Truth” (2019). “Look Back” marks his first live-action feature based on a manga to compete at Venice.
