Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Exploration of Grief in ‘Sheep in the Box’

Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda presents his latest film, Sheep in the Box, which examines the impact of grief and technology on a bereaved family. The movie follows a couple who uses technology to recreate their deceased son, hiring a humanoid made to resemble him.

The movie title references Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s book, The Little Prince, highlighting the idea that life’s significant aspects are often unseen but deeply connected.

“It explores how a couple tries to rework their relationship with their child, and so it’s not that different from the stories I’ve explored in my past works,” Kore-eda shared with The Associated Press.

Premiered at Cannes Film Festival this year, Sheep in the Box continues Kore-eda’s tradition of family drama. Kore-eda, born in Tokyo in 1962, began his career directing documentaries post-Waseda University. He writes, directs, and edits his films, achieving significant creative control.

Kore-eda’s previous works have received critical acclaim. Like Father, Like Son won the Jury Prize at Cannes in 2013. Shoplifters, a poignant narrative of a family driven to shoplifting, earned the Palme d’Or in 2018 and was an Academy Award contender.

In 2019, Kore-eda directed The Truth with Catherine Deneuve and Juliette Binoche. His 2022 film Broker showcased Korean actors, with Song Kang-ho winning Best Actor at Cannes.

Despite production challenges, Kore-eda prioritizes creating enjoyable working environments and combats industry harassment. Immediate action is taken against offenders on his sets.

Children often feature in Kore-eda’s films, although he doesn’t view them as a necessity. They offer a perspective to examine adulthood. One example is Nobody Knows from 2004, where children fend for themselves, a performance that earned Yuya Yagira, then 14, the Best Actor award at Cannes.

Sheep in the Box features child actor Rimu Kuwaki, who plays a robot in his debut, receiving acclaim for the role.

Kore-eda emphasized the importance of adults making a positive impression on young actors:

“We want them to go home thinking all the adults were hard-working and having fun.”

Though Kore-eda’s films tackle serious themes, he maintains a light-hearted demeanor. When asked about the essence of filmmaking, he humorously referenced Akira Kurosawa, who believed life without movies was empty.

Kore-eda expressed, “Movies are the only hobby I’ve ever had. That became my job. Thinking about that hobby 24 hours a day became my life and my job.”

Kore-eda feels fortunate and blessed to enjoy his work.

Sheep in the Box opens in U.S. theaters on Friday.

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Yuri Kageyama is on Threads: https://www.threads.com/@yurikageyama