Kore-eda Reveals Why He Never Films Kids Crying — SkimNews
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- Kore-eda Hirokazu refuses to film children crying, aiming instead for audiences to remember a child’s smile and cry after viewing, not the act of crying on screen
- Kore-eda Hirokazu adapted his method of working with child actors over time, shifting from improvisational dialogue in 'Shoplifters' to using scripts in 'Monster' for ethical separation due to the film’s sensitive subject
- Hou Hsiao-hsien influenced Kore-eda’s on-set process by emphasizing that camera placement must follow actors’ movements and the feel of a location, not pre-drawn storyboards, a lesson Kore-eda now applies religiously
- Ken Loach taught Kore-eda to ethically weigh each shot with child actors, exemplified by Loach’s direction in 'Kes' where a boy discovered his dead bird without knowing the scene’s emotional weight ahead of time
- Kore-eda Hirokazu will release two 2026 films, 'Sheep in the Box' and 'Look Back', which he describes as a return to his documentary roots and the emotional core of his debut film 'Maborosi'
- Kore-eda Hirokazu received the Singapore International Film Festival’s Cinema Honorary Award, joining past recipients like Im Kwon-taek, Jafar Panahi, and Deepa Mehta, in recognition of his contributions to Asian cinema
Why it matters: Kore-eda’s sustained focus on ethical, child-centered direction challenges industry norms, and his return to intimate storytelling in 2026 may influence a new generation of filmmakers. The festival’s honor signals regional recognition of a career that redefined naturalism in Asian cinema.
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