Japan Taps Hamaguchi's 'All of a Sudden' for Oscar International Race
Japan's film academy has chosen Ryusuke Hamaguchi's French-language drama as its entry for the best international feature Oscar, marking the director's second time representing his home country after 'Drive My Car' won the category in 2021. The film, which premiered at Cannes and earned its two leads a shared best actress prize, is set in a Paris-area nursing home and explores a profound friendship between its director and a terminally ill theater artist. Distributor Neon plans to campaign the film for best picture, director, and both lead acting categories in addition to the international feature slot.
The selection extends Hamaguchi's remarkable international run, following his 2021 Oscar win for "Drive My Car" and subsequent festival honors in Berlin and Venice. "All of a Sudden" represents a notable stylistic shift for the director, marking his first French-language production and a collaboration with French actress Virginie Efira alongside Japanese model-turned-actress Tao Okamoto, whose Cannes prize made her the first Japanese performer to claim that honor.
The film draws from a published collection of correspondence between a philosopher facing terminal illness and a medical anthropologist, adapted by Hamaguchi with Léa Le Dimna. Its production spans four countries, and its November U.S. release through Neon positions it for awards-season consideration across multiple categories, including acting and screenplay races.
This selection could reinforce Japan's growing prominence in global cinema while broadening international audiences' exposure to French-language storytelling. The film's nursing home setting may spark conversations about elder care approaches across cultures, and its dual-lead recognition at Cannes could influence how distributors campaign foreign-language performances. For Japanese filmmakers, Hamaguchi's repeated success may open additional funding pathways and encourage more cross-cultural productions, though the film's lengthy runtime and contemplative tone may limit its mainstream reach.