Trailer: Ryûsuke Hamaguchi brings together Virginie Efira and Tao Okamoto in Suddenly
Selected in official competition, the new film by the Japanese filmmaker is a humanist drama around care, illness and friendship.
After having marked world cinema with Drive My Car in 2021 then Evil does not exist in 2023, Ryûsuke Hamaguchi signs his return behind the camera with Suddenlypresented in official competition at Cannes last May.
The Japanese director directs Virginie Efira and Tao Okamoto, whose performances were rewarded with a shared acting prize on the Croisette.
The film tells the story of the meeting of two women who seem opposed to each other, but who are brought together by illness.
Virginie Efira plays Marie-Lou, “director of an establishment for the elderly, Marie-Lou tries to establish an innovative philosophy of care based on listening and the dignity of residents, despite the reluctance of some of her teams. His meeting with Mari, a Japanese director who is fighting cancer, will change his trajectory. By forming a deep friendship, the two women begin a fight together to make the impossible possible.“.
The cast is completed by Kyozo Nagatsuka and Kodai Kurosaki.
The screenplay was co-written by Ryûsuke Hamaguchi and Léa Le Dimna, based on the book When life takes an unexpected turncollection of correspondence between Makiko Miyano and Maho Isono, published in Japan by Shobunsha editions.
Suddenly is expected in French theaters on August 12, 2026.
