is a Japanese film director, producer, screenwriter, and editor. He began his career in television and has since directed more than a dozen

feature film A feature film or feature-length film (often abbreviated to feature), also called a theatrical film, is a film (Film, motion picture, "movie" or simply “picture”) with a running time long enough to be considered the principal or sole present ...

s, including '' Nobody Knows'' (2004), '' Still Walking'' (2008), and '' After the Storm'' (2016). He won the Jury Prize at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival for '' Like Father, Like Son'', and won the Palme d'Or at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival for '' Shoplifters''.

Early life and education

Kore-eda's father was born in

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...

before being conscripted into the Japanese military during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

and detained in

Siberia Siberia ( ; , ) is an extensive geographical region comprising all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has formed a part of the sovereign territory of Russia and its predecessor states ...

for three years after the end of the war. His paternal grandparents could not marry under Japanese law at the time as they had the same last name, so they eloped to Taiwan where they could, which was then under Japanese colonial rule. He has cited this as a reason for his affinity toward Taiwan. Hirokazu Kore-eda was born on 6 June 1962 in

Nerima is a Special wards of Tokyo, special ward in the Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolis in Japan. The ward refers to itself as Nerima City. , the ward has an estimated population of 721,858, with 323,296 households and a population density of 15,013 persons ...

Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...

, Japan. He is the youngest of three children, with two older sisters. From a young age, Kore-eda would spend time watching movies with his mother. He said through an interpreter, "My mother loved films! She adored Ingrid Bergman, Joan Fontaine, Vivien Leigh! We couldn't afford to go together to the cinema, but she was always watching their movies on TV. She stopped all family business or discussions to watch these movies. We would watch together. So I adored film – like her." After seeing Japan win the gold medal in men's volleyball at the 1972 Munich Olympics when the Munich massacre occured, he started playing in middle school. He rose to team captain in high school as a setter. He initially failed his entrance exams, but was accepted into Waseda University a year later. He graduated from Waseda University's Graduate School of Letters, Arts and Sciences in 1987.

Career

Before embarking on a career as a film director, Kore-eda worked as an assistant director on documentaries for television. He eventually transitioned into directing, and directed his first television documentary, ''Lessons from a Calf'', in 1991. He directed several other documentary films thereafter. One of his documentaries, released in 1994, followed his friendship with

AIDS The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...

sufferer Hirata Yutaka. The documentary, titled “August without him”, followed Kore-eda as he met with Yutaka and filmed his life between 1992 and 1994. During this period, he speaks openly on his condition, as well as being the first Japanese to admit he contracted the disease via homosexual contact. The film ends with Yutaka's condition having deteriorated, and he died of AIDS Complications on May 29, 1994. In 1995, at the

Venice Film Festival The Venice Film Festival or Venice International Film Festival (, "International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art of the Venice Biennale") is an annual film festival held in Venice, Italy. It is the world's oldest film festival and one of the ...

, his first fiction feature film '' Maborosi'' won a Golden Osella for Best Cinematography. At the first Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema in 1999, he won awards for Best Film and Best Screenplay for his film '' After Life.'' In 2005, he won the Blue Ribbon Awards for Best Film and Best Director for his film '' Nobody Knows''. His 2008 film, '' Still Walking'', also earned accolades, including Best Director at the 2009 Asian Film Awards, and the Golden Ástor for Best Film at the 2008 Mar del Plata International Film Festival. His 2013 film, '' Like Father, Like Son'', premiered and was nominated for the Palme d'Or at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival. It eventually did not win, but it won the Jury Prize, as well as a commendation from the Ecumenical Jury. In October 2013, the film won the Rogers People's Choice Award at the 2013 Vancouver International Film Festival. Kore-eda's 2015 film, '' Our Little Sister'', was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival, though it did not win. His 2016 film, '' After the Storm'', debuted to critical acclaim at the

2016 Cannes Film Festival The 69th Cannes Film Festival took place from 11 to 22 May 2016. Australian filmmaker George Miller (filmmaker), George Miller was the president of the jury for the main competition. French actor Laurent Lafitte was the host for the opening and ...

in the Un Certain Regard category. For his work on the film, he won the award for Best Director at the Yokohama Film Festival. Kore-eda won Best Film and Best Director Japan Academy Prizes for his film '' The Third Murder'' (2017), which also screened in the main competition of the 74th Venice International Film Festival. In 2018, his film, titled '' Shoplifters'', about a young girl who is welcomed in by a family of shoplifters, premiered at the

Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Film Festival (; ), until 2003 called the International Film Festival ('), is the most prestigious film festival in the world. Held in Cannes, France, it previews new films of all genres, including documentaries, from all around ...

, where it won the Palme d'Or. It was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. In 2018, he won the Donostia Award for his lifetime achievement at

San Sebastián International Film Festival The San Sebastián International Film Festival ( SSIFF; , ) is an annual FIAPF A category film festival held in the Spain, Spanish city of Donostia, Donostia-San Sebastián in September, in the Basque Country (autonomous community), Basque Countr ...

. In 2019, Kore-eda directed ''The Truth'', starring Catherine Deneuve, Juliette Binoche and

Ethan Hawke Ethan Green Hawke (born November 6, 1970) is an American actor, author, and film director. He made his film debut in ''Explorers (film), Explorers'' (1985), before making a breakthrough performance in ''Dead Poets Society'' (1989). Hawke starr ...

. It is his first film shot in Europe and not in his native language. In 2021, Kore-eda directed '' Broker''. The film was shot in South Korea, featuring a predominantly South Korean cast and crew. It was first released on 8 June 2022. The film was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 2022 and won the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury. In January 2022, it was announced that Kore-eda would be working with a team of directors including Megumi Tsuno, Hiroshi Okuyama, and Takuma Sato on a nine-episode series called '' The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House'', adapted from the manga '' Kiyo in Kyoto''. In November 2022, Kore-eda disclosed that he had already completed shooting his next Japanese film, titled '' Monster''. With post-production underway, ''Monster'' was scheduled for release in Japan on 2 June 2023. This release date positioned the film for a potential world premiere in May at the Cannes Film Festival, a customary platform for Kore-eda. The film won the Queer Palm and the Best Screenplay Award at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. in 2025, Kore-eda's series '' Asura'' was released by

Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...

. It is based on Kuniko Mukōda's novel of the same name.

Style and influences

According to the Harvard Film Archive, Kore-eda's works "reflect the contemplative style and pacing of such luminaries as Hou Hsiao-hsien and

Tsai Ming-liang Tsai Ming-liang (; born 27 October 1957) is a Malaysian filmmaker based in Taiwan. Tsai has written and directed 11 feature films, many short films, and television films. He is one of the most celebrated "Second New Wave" film directors of T ...

". Kore-eda is often compared to

Yasujirō Ozu was a Japanese filmmaker. He began his career during the era of silent films, and his last films were made in colour in the early 1960s. Ozu first made a number of short comedies, before turning to more serious themes in the 1930s. The most pr ...

; however, he has stated he feels more influenced by British director Ken Loach and Japanese director Mikio Naruse. In a 2009 interview, Kore-eda revealed that '' Still Walking'' is based on his own family.

Personal life

Kore-eda was married in 2002 and has one daughter, born in 2007.

Filmography

Film

Producer

Documentaries

Television

Accolades

*1995:

Vancouver International Film Festival The Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) is an annual film festival held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, for two weeks in late September and early October. The festival is operated by the Greater Vancouver International Film Festi ...

– Dragons and Tigers Award (''Maborosi'') *1998: San Sebastian Film Festival – FIPRESCI Prize (''After Life'') *1998: Three Continents Festival – Golden Montgolfiere (''After Life'') *1999: Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema – Best Film and Best Screenplay (''After Life'') *2004: Flanders International Film Festival Ghent – Grand Prix (''Nobody Knows'') *2005: Blue Ribbon Awards – Best Film and Best Director (''Nobody Knows'') *2008: Mar del Plata International Film Festival – Best Film (''Still Walking'') *2009: Asian Film Awards – Best Director (''Still Walking'') *2009: Blue Ribbon Awards – Best Director (''Still Walking'') *2011: San Sebastian Film Festival – Best Screenplay (''I Wish'') *2012:

Asia-Pacific Film Festival The Asia-Pacific Film Festival (abbreviated APFF) is an annual film festival hosted by the Federation of Motion Picture Producers in Asia-Pacific (FPA). The festival was first held in Tokyo, Japan, in 1954. History The festival was first he ...

– Best Director (''I Wish'') *2013:

– Jury Prize (''Like Father, Like Son'') *2013:

– Best Film and Best Director (''Like Father, Like Son'') *2013:

São Paulo International Film Festival The São Paulo International Film Festival (), also known internationally as Mostra, is an annual film festival held in the city of São Paulo, Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South Ame ...

– Audience Award Best Foreign Film (''Like Father, Like Son'') *2013:

– Audience Award International Films (''Like Father, Like Son'') *2013: Yokohama Film Festival – Best Screenplay (''Like Father, Like Son'') *2015: San Sebastian Film Festival – Audience Award Best Film (''Our Little Sister'') *2015: Yokohama Film Festival – Best Director (''Our Little Sister'') *2016: Japan Academy Prize – Best Film and Best Director (''Our Little Sister'') *2016: Films from the South – Best Film (''After the Storm'') *2018: Japan Academy Prize – Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Editing (''The Third Murder'') *2018:

– Palme d'Or (''Shoplifters'') *2018:

Los Angeles Film Critics Association The Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA) is an American film critic organization founded in 1975. Background Its membership comprises film critics from Los Angeles–based print and electronic media. In December of each year, the organi ...

– Best Foreign Film (''Shoplifters'') *2018:

– Donostia Award *2018: Asia Pacific Screen Awards – Best Film (''Shoplifters'') *2018:

Denver Film Festival The Denver Film Festival is held in November, primarily at the Denver Film Center/Colfax, in Denver, Colorado, now the Anna and John J. Sie FilmCenter (Sie FilmCenter). Premiere events are held in the Buell Theatre and Ellie Caulkins Opera House ...

– Best Film (''Shoplifters'') *2018: Filmfest München – Best International Film (''Shoplifters'') *2018: Films from the South – Audience Award (''Shoplifters'') *2018:

– Most Popular International Feature (''Shoplifters'') * 2019: Asian Film Awards – Best Film (''Shoplifters'') *2019: Japan Academy Prize – Best Film, Best Director, and Best Screenplay (''Shoplifters'') *2019:

César Award Cesar or César may refer to: Arts and entertainment * César (film), ''César'' (film), a 1936 French romantic drama * César (film), ''César'' (play), a play by Marcel Pagnolt Places * Cesar, Portugal * Cesar Department, Colombia * Cesar R ...

– Best Foreign Film (''Shoplifters'') *2019: Guldbagge Awards – Best Foreign Film (''Shoplifters'') * 2023: Asian Film Awards – Best Director ('' Broker'') * 2024: Asian Film Awards – Best Director ('' Monster'')

Frequent collaborators

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Kore-eda, Hirokazu 1962 births Living people Japanese film directors Best Director International Eurasia Award winners Japanese documentary filmmakers Waseda University alumni Directors of Palme d'Or winners Best Director Asian Film Award winners Juzo Itami Award winners