Source: GKIDS
Official Site: https://k2pic.com/ (Japan), https://gkids.com/films/look-back-a-film-by-kore-eda/ (US)
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Photo courtesy of GKIDS. ©Tatsuki Fujimoto/SHUEISHA ©K2 Pictures・SHUEISHA
GKIDS, the Academy Award-winning producer and distributor of acclaimed and artist-driven globally inspired cinema, announced the sentimental drama LOOK BACK (ルックバック, Rukku Bakku) from Palme d’Or winner and Oscar-nominated filmmaker Hirokazu Koreeda (SHOPLIFTERS, BROKER) will open in select theatres beginning December 30th, with a nationwide expansion on January 15. The feature is the first live-action adaptation of the best-selling and globally beloved manga Look Back from the critically acclaimed creator Tatsuki Fujimoto. GKIDS also released a new poster and a trailer in anticipation for the film’s theatrical release.
The tender coming-of-age story made its world premiere at Venice Film Festival, followed by its North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, and most recently held its UK premiere at BFI London Film Festival.
LOOK BACK joins GKIDS’ growing catalog of contemporary live-action cinema, following the upcoming releases of the sentimental drama and coming-of-age romance 5 CENTIMETERS PER SECOND on October 23 and the highly anticipated blockbuster GODZILLA MINUS ZERO. Last year, GKIDS entered this historic new phase with its theatrical release of the Oscar-nominated and record-breaking Japanese box office phenomenon KOKUHO alongside theatrical re-releases of the comedy-drama cult classic LINDA LINDA LINDA directed by Nobuhiro Yamashita, and the acclaimed 2016 global hit SHIN GODZILLA from director Hideaki ANNO and co-director Shinji Higuchi.
Synopsis:
Confident grade-schooler Fujino draws comics for her school newspaper, earning the admiration of her classmates. When her artwork is surpassed by her reclusive peer Kyomoto, she becomes obsessed with honing her skills, eventually burning out and giving up drawing altogether. But when Fujino finally meets Kyomoto, she discovers that Kyomoto has been her devoted fan all along. Bound by their shared passion, they spend irreplaceable years drawing manga together until a fateful event changes their lives forever.
From Palme d'Or winner Hirokazu Koreeda, LOOK BACK is a love letter to the artistic process, hand-written in ink on paper, and a meditation on how mutual pursuit of a craft creates the deepest etches in our memory.
About Hirokazu Kore-eda:
Born in Tokyo in 1962. After graduating from Waseda University’s Faculty of Letters, Arts and Sciences, he joined TV Man Union and directed documentary programs. He made his feature film directorial debut in 1995 with MABOROSI, which won the Golden Osella Award at the Venice International Film Festival. He has continued to create works focusing on family dynamics and social issues, including NOBODY KNOWS (誰も知らない, Dare mo Shiranai, 2004), LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON (そして父になる, Soshite Chichi ni Naru, 2013), OUR LITTLE SISTER (海街 diary, Umimachi diary, 2015) and SHOPLIFTERS (万引き家族, Manbiki Kazoku, 2018), earning great acclaim both domestically and internationally. In 2018, SHOPLIFTERS won the Palme d’Or at the 71st Cannes International Film Festival and went on to gross $72 million worldwide. Kore-eda has expanded his activities to include international co-productions, anchoring his worldwide reputation as a leading figure in Japanese cinema.
About GKIDS
GKIDS is the Academy Award–winning curator, producer, and distributor of artist-driven, globally inspired cinema dedicated to connecting North American audiences with distinctive stories from around the world. Widely celebrated for its leadership in the “animation is film” movement, the studio has played a pivotal role in shaping the landscape for feature animation in the U.S. and internationally for nearly two decades. GKIDS represents the work of many of the world’s most acclaimed animation filmmakers, including Makoto Shinkai (YOUR NAME., WEATHERING WITH YOU), Satoshi Kon (PERFECT BLUE, MILLENNIUM ACTRESS), Tomm Moore (SONG OF THE SEA, WOLFWALKERS), Mamoru Hosoda (MIRAI, WOLFWALKERS), and serves as the North American home of Japan’s legendary Studio Ghibli.
Upcoming theatrical releases include the highly anticipated GODZILLA MINUS ZERO, the follow up to director Takaski Yamazaki’s Academy Award-winning GODZILLA MINUS ONE; and SHAUN THE SHEEP: THE BEAST OF MOSSY BOTTOM, the latest Aardman feature in the beloved Oscar-nominated film series. In addition to the Oscar-nominated films KOKUHO and LITTLE AMÉLIE AND THE CHARACTER OF RAIN, recent theatrical releases are the box office hit JUJUTSU KAISEN: EXECUTION, Mamoru Oshii’s cult classic ANGEL’S EGG, and the critically acclaimed ALL YOU NEED IS KILL, alongside groundbreaking television series such as DAN DA DAN, NEON GENESIS EVANGELION, and ARCANE: LEAGUE OF LEGENDS.
@GKIDSFilms
About K2 Pictures
K2 Pictures is an independent start-up film production and distribution company based in Japan. Launched in 2023, the company aims to establish a new ecosystem for Japanese film. At its core, K2 Pictures is committed to moving away from Japan’s traditional “production committee” model and adopting a fund-based approach to filmmaking. In 2024, it launched its first film fund and began production. The company collaborates with notable creators, including Hirokazu Koreeda, Takashi Miike, and MAPPA, Japan’s largest animation studio. K2 Pictures is dedicated to creating films for both the Japanese domestic market and global audiences. Through this new initiative, it seeks to revitalize and globalize Japanese film while also ensuring better profit returns for creators.