Overview
- The near‑future drama, which premiered Saturday in Competition at the Grand Théâtre Lumière, drew a standing ovation that outlets timed between 3.5 and five minutes.
- The film follows parents who welcome a humanoid built from their late child’s data, with newcomer Rimu Kuwaki making his acting debut as the replica.
- Early notices are split, with praise for Haruka Ayase’s performance and the film’s look, while critics at The Hollywood Reporter called it thematically woolly and IndieWire described it as emotionally stunted.
- Kore-eda said Sunday that a meeting with a Chinese entrepreneur building AI simulations of the dead sparked the idea, which he uses to question who controls the memory of those who have passed.
- Distributor NEON plans a U.S. theatrical release later in 2026, setting up a broader audience discussion as the film remains in Cannes competition with awards due May 23.