Hirokazu Koreeda

Director · Writer · Cast

Born

June 6, 1962 · Tokyo, Japan

Born in Tokyo in 1962, Hirokazu Kore-eda originally intended to pursue a career as a novelist before entering the film industry. After graduating from Waseda University in 1987, he began work as an assistant director at T.V. Man Union, gaining experience in production and direction. He directed his first short film, Lessons from a Calf (1991), while still assisting on other sets. His feature debut, Maborosi (1995), adapted from a Teru Miyamoto novel and influenced by his own experiences on August Without Him (1994), received jury awards at Venice and Chicago. Kore-eda’s work consistently explores themes of memory, loss, and death, often blurring the line between documentary and fiction, with a collaborative approach involving careful attention to narrative, pacing, and performance. His career reflects a deliberate progression from assistant direction to auteur filmmaking, emphasizing subtle, human-centered storytelling.