Audiences Expecting an AI Dystopia in ‘Sheep in the Box’ Get Something Much Stranger from Hirokazu Koreeda
Hirokazu Koreeda's film 'Sheep in the Box' has received a mixed response at Cannes, where Japan is the Country of Honor this year. While other Japanese films have garnered positive attention, Koreeda's work surprised audiences who expected a more traditional AI dystopia. The film explores themes of grief and reanimation, reflecting Koreeda's ongoing fascination with the implications of AI on human imagination.
- ▪Japan has a strong presence at Cannes this year, with three directors in competition for the first time in 25 years.
- ▪Koreeda's 'Sheep in the Box' has been met with a muted response, contrasting with the acclaim for his previous works.
- ▪The film addresses themes of grief and the use of AI to replicate deceased loved ones, raising philosophical questions about life and death.
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| Original publisher | IndieWire |
| Canonical URL | https://www.indiewire.com/features/interviews/hirokazu-koreeda-sheep-in-the-box-cannes-interview-1235195862/ |
| Publication time | Fri, 22 May 2026 19:00:00 +0000 |
| Retrieval time | 2026-05-22T19:02:02.773Z |
| Last seen | 2026-05-22T19:02:02.773Z |
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Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
It’s an exciting time for Japan at Cannes this year, as the Marché du Film’s Country of Honor has nearly a dozen diverse features and shorts across the official selection and the sidebars. What’s more, it’s the first time in a quarter century that three Japanese directors have films in competition. Each with a bespoke gentleness to their rhythms, these newest works by Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Koji Fukada, and grand master Hirokazu Koreeda have been met with differing degrees of enthusiasm, per the many critics’ grids floating around.
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