Hirokazu Koreida with “Monster” at Cannes / Another success?

Charso Press: According to Playlist, Japanese director Hirokazu Koreida is one of the regular faces of the Cannes Film Festival, and 5 of his last 9 films have been screened at Cannes. In addition, his films have also achieved good success in the festival, and “Like Father, Like Son” won the jury award in 2013 and “Shoplifters” won the Palme d’Or award in 2018. “Dilal” won the World Jury Award the same year and its actor Song Kang Ho was chosen as the best actor.

In other words, it can be assumed that his latest film “Monster”, which will be screened at the Cannes Film Festival next month, will also be successful in the 76th edition of the festival.

This film is Koreida’s first film after “Mobarosi” in 1995, which was based on someone else’s script. In “Monster”, he collaborated with a popular name in the Japanese television industry, Yuji Sakamoto, who was seen in the movie “I fell in love like a bouquet” in 2021.

Now what is “Monster” about? This movie is about a mother who confronts her son’s teacher after his behavior becomes erratic. But what happens between these three characters?

The official synopsis for “Monster” reads: When her young son Minato starts behaving strangely, his mother senses something is wrong. Realizing that his teacher is responsible for this behavior, he goes to school and wants to know what is going on. But as the story passes through the eyes of the mother, the teacher and the child, the truth is gradually revealed.

In this film, “Shoplifters” actress Sakura Ando works again with Koreida and plays Saori, Minato’s single mother. Monster also stars Nagayama Ita, Takahata Misuki, Kakuta Akihiro, Nakamura Shido, Yoko Tanaka, and child actors Soya Kurokawa and Hinatare Hiragi.

This is the second time Koreida and Karamura have collaborated, following the series Makanai: Cooking for Maiko’s House, which aired earlier this year.

And another big name is in “Monster”; Legendary composer Ryuichi Sakamoto, who died last month on March 28, composed the film’s soundtrack. Known as a giant of the Japanese music world, Sakamoto was Japan’s first Oscar winner for Best Original Score for The Last Emperor in 1987. Sakamoto’s other scores include 1983’s Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, 1990’s Shelter Sky, and 2015’s The Return.

If Hirokazu Koreida wins the Palme d’Or again this year with Monster, he will join Shohei Imamura as the only other Japanese director to win the Cannes Film Festival’s top prize twice.

After the world premiere of “Monster” at Cannes, the film opens in Japanese cinemas on June 2.