Venice 2026: Koreeda’s ‘Look Back’ is a Charming Story of Friendship | FirstShowing.net
VENICE 2026
Venice 2026: Koreeda’s ‘Look Back’ is a Charming Story of Friendship
“Thank you for getting me out of my room.” This is a beautiful story about friendship & why friends matter so much. One of the highlights of the 2026 Venice Film Festival is this new film Look Back, a live-action version of both the original manga and the anime of the same name. Look Back is the second feature film directed by award-winning Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Koreeda this year. His other one, Sheep in the Box, premiered at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival and it was one of my least favorite films of that fest. What a flip to that experience! Koreeda’s Look Back is one of my favorite films of this fest. A delightful, inspiring, wholesome coming-of-age story about two shy girls who bond over their love for drawing manga. Yes, there is a darker side to the story (as everyone who knows the manga / anime is already familiar with) but I can’t help admitting I still feel so moved by how wonderful the rest of this story is anyway. I’m not surprised that Koreeda made another beautiful film about young Japanese kids finding their place & finding happiness in their own way – he’s a master at telling these stories. Another “tenderness is the new punk” film from 2026.
Once again written and directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda, Look Back (ルックバック in Japanese) is a direct adaptation of the 2021 manga by Tatsuki Fujimoto. It’s also edited by Koreeda and features cinematography by Senzo Ueno. Who is important to highlight & mention, because the cinematography in this film is just sublime. Absolutely stunning – from static shots of them working in their rooms, to these kinetic moments where Fujino is running along. Look Back is the story of two Japanese artists: Fujino, a popular student who draws yonkoma manga, and Kyomoto, a shut-in who draws all the time and is a fan of Fujino’s manga. Furi Nanase & Rokka Okada star as the youngest versions of these two girls, who start creating together after meeting each other and expressing how fond they are of each other’s drawings. The story then follows them onward past their younger years and into high school and beyond. Natsuki Deguchi & Aju Makita star as the older Fujino & Kyomoto. For most of the film, I kept wondering if there is no conflict or big challenge – it’s just the two of them becoming friends and making their manga. The only real trouble at the start is the way their parents yell at them about how manga isn’t a real job and they cannot do this for the rest of their lives. But of course they can! Especially these two! Eventually something major happens – which is terribly sad and I hate that it has to happen, but that’s part of their story and I can’t change it, only accept it anyway.
For the record – I have not seen the anime (yet) or read the manga. It is my plan to catch up with the anime – if it’s as good as this film, then I’ll enjoy it, too. Without getting too much into the second half of the film and where it goes and what happens, I can accept that it’s part of the storytelling. It’s a radical & upsetting twist to poignantly remind us all to appreciate what we have when we have it, and the people who change us for the better. The way Koreeda handles this and his editing around this aspect of the story is a bit wonky, it didn’t all add up and make coherent sense, cutting back and forth and trying to backtrack into their original story. However, this is something I’m used to seeing within many complex anime movies where the third act has some extremely wild existential twists. Bringing it back to what matters most – the friendship between Fujino & Kyomoto is what left me floating after the screening. The performances are utterly delightful, like the film itself, and are part of the magic of this story. Koreeda is a master at finding & directing child actors, and without them giving this authentic warmth to the film, it wouldn’t have worked as a live-action feature. The time they spend together, drawing together, growing up together, is so majestically beautiful I want to show this film to any young artist so they can see how vital good friendships are to artistic growth & success.
Look Back is one of my favorite Koreeda films in years. An instant favorite. Shark Kick rules!! Even with the darker side of the story, I still felt happy and heartened afterwards. From the wonderfully emotional score by Yuta Bandoh, to all the striking cinematography, and the girls themselves, this is a film that will connect deeply with any & every artist. With everyone who has striven to find their own way in the world and follow their passions no matter what their parents say. While it is important to “look back” at what got you there, it’s also important to look ahead to what we can do when good people encourage each other to be their best.
Alex’s Venice 2026 Rating: 8.5 out of 10
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