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Kore-eda's Golden Rule: Never Film a Child Crying
24 Oct
Summary
- Director Kore-eda avoids filming children crying on screen.
- He adapts dialogue to children's personalities for authenticity.
- Kore-eda views upcoming films as a return to his roots.
Japanese auteur Kore-eda Hirokazu, renowned for naturalistic child performances, has decided never to show a child crying on screen, aiming for memorable smiles instead. He discussed his evolving methods at the Singapore International Film Festival, where he received the Cinema Honorary Award.
Kore-eda now adapts scripts to child actors' personalities and vocabulary, ensuring authentic delivery. For riskier subjects like "Monster," he provided scripts, but generally prefers a more organic approach shaped by directors like Hou Hsiao-hsien and Ken Loach.
His upcoming 2026 films, "Sheep in the Box" and "Look Back," represent a return to his roots. "Sheep in the Box" explores grief through AI, while "Look Back" revisits documentary-style filmmaking, marking the beginning of his career's second half.
Kore-eda also shared his philosophy on audience engagement, advising filmmakers to create for one specific person rather than a broad audience. He recalled a memorable meal of tenzaru soba in Tokyo as his chosen last meal.
