Hirokazu Kore-eda Film Explores Humanoid Technology and Grief

Hirokazu Kore-eda's new film "Sheep in the Box" opens with a drone delivering a brochure to a grieving couple. The brochure advertises a humanoid modeled after their deceased son. The service is offered by a company that promises bereaved families the chance to reconnect with lost loved ones.

The film stars Haruka Ayase and mononymous comedian-turned-actor Daigo as Otone and Kensuke. They play a married couple coping with the death of their 7-year-old son, Kakeru, two years earlier. First-time actor Rimu Kuwaki plays the humanoid child that echoes the personality and memories of the deceased.

"Sheep in the Box" is Kore-eda's eighth entry in the main competition at the Cannes Film Festival. It marks his return to an original Japanese-language screenplay for the first time since "Shoplifters" won the Palme d'Or in 2018. The film opens in Japan on May 29.

The story is set in the near future, where AI has made it possible to "grow" a humanoid child. The film examines themes of grief, humanoids, and creativity. It is competing for the Palme d'Or at the 79th Cannes Film Festival.