Japanese director Hirokazu Koreeda’s latest film ‘Look Back’ features 12-year-old actors Furi Nanase and Rokka Okada in lead roles as childhood friends who bond over their shared passion for creating manga. Nanase, making her screen debut, was selected for her natural charisma and confidence, while Okada brought extensive experience from prior work in Japanese film and television. The two actresses, who turned 12 just one day apart during production, developed a close friendship that extended beyond the set, appearing together at the film’s world premiere in Venice earlier in the month.
Koreeda is renowned for his consistent ability to elicit naturalistic performances from child actors. His previous work has garnered significant accolades, including a Cannes best actor award for his 2004 film ‘Nobody Knows’ and the Palme d’Or for ‘Shoplifters’ in 2018. In preparing Nanase and Okada for ‘Look Back,’ Koreeda employed his characteristic approach of treating actors with respect and allowing creative input. He declined to provide scenes for advance preparation and instead directed performers to be themselves during initial meetings. On set, he would explain each scene’s core concept and solicit actors’ thoughts on execution rather than dictating precise movements or line delivery.
The film adapts artist Tatsuki Fujimoto’s popular manga, following protagonist Fujino, a talented young cartoonist whose competitive dynamic with reclusive classmate Kyomoto transforms into an artistic partnership spanning years. Adult actresses later portray the characters during their teenage years. Shot over a full year in Japan’s Tohoku region, the production required intensive drawing instruction as the primary preparation for younger cast members, aside from dialect coaching for Okada’s character, who hails from Akita prefecture.
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