'Kokuho' started from Cannes Film Festival

While it's not the official competition where big-name directors compete during the Cannes International Film Festival, the Directors' Fortnight (Quinzaine des Cinéastes) is a fantastic challenge for directors who haven't yet made many films. It's a very fulfilling experience with ample time for Q&A sessions. The film that was screened in this section in 2025 was the well-known "Kokuho.” 

From this world premiere, it immediately began screening in Japan and became a huge hit, reaching number one at the box office.  In fact, a wonderful event called "Cannes Directors' Fortnight in Tokio," where you could watch films selected for the Cannes International Film Festival's Directors' Fortnight, was held at Human Trust Cinema Shibuya from December 12th to December 25th last year.

At the talk event following the screening on December 16th, Ryo Yoshizawa, Ryusei Yokohama, and  the director Sang-il Lee appeared on stage. Julien Régy, the artistic director of the Cannes Film Festival's Directors' Fortnight, also participated from France. They shared memories of the Cannes screening and behind-the-scenes stories about the production.  I'm really looking forward to seeing what kind of films will attract attention this year.  

Takako Imai