Kore-eda Hirokazu Adapt ‘Look Back’ Go Venice Competition

Kore-eda Hirokazu live-action adaptation of Fujimoto Tatsuki one-volume manga, “Look Back”, don set to premiere for Venice competition. Di director talk say e make plenty serious changes for how di story drawing process and di characters’ private moments go take show for screen. Dis report dey based on wetin Variety report.

According to Variety, di film follow schoolmates Fujino and Kyomoto as dem ambition to become manga creators dey meet and later separate while dem still dey school. Kore-eda say dis project na im third adaptation from manga source material, and say na when e read Fujimoto work during di pandemic e get mind to make di film.

For di production, report say Kore-eda study mangaka as dem dey work, record how di sound of drawing dey change from individual pen work reach digital process, and arrange manga training for di four girls wey dey di cast, including weekly assignments. Nanase Furi play Fujino for her school years. Variety

Kore-eda still talk say e make Fujino less outwardly competitive than she be for di manga and anime versions. E turn her inner thoughts to dialogue and action make e fit di natural style of di live-action film. “I turn monologues to dialogues, and words to actions,” e tell Variety. Variety

How e fit matter

Di cast drawing training give di production more particular way to show how manga dey made, instead of make dem use am only as background. For viewers wey sabi Fujimoto work, di changed monologues and di gentler way dem show di characters fit change how dem see di relationship between Fujino and Kyomoto for di weeks around di Venice premiere. Dat difference fit also shape how Venice audience judge di film: both as Kore-eda drama and as adaptation of manga wey plenty people know well. All dis fit happen only if di finished film put im sound design, details of di creative process and di changed character portrayal for di centre of di viewing experience. Variety

Possible outcomes

Our expectation (based on informed speculation)

Di one wey likely pass: If di change from monologue to dialogue and action still show well for di finished film, Venice discussion likely go centre on whether Kore-eda natural performances keep di relationship wey dey for di heart of “Look Back”. Dat fit make di adaptation choices matter well-well for how dem receive am for di competition, as critics and audience compare how di live-action film handle di characters with di manga and anime versions.

Better side: If audience see di researched way dem portray drawing, sound and digital production as something wey no fit separate from di characters’ ambitions, di film fit make more people interested in “Look Back” as story about creative practice. Dat fit make people pay fresh attention to Fujimoto original manga alongside di adaptation for di weeks and months after Venice.

Worse side: If viewers feel say Fujino less fierce competitiveness and di smaller space for her inner monologue weaken one tension wey define di story, discussion fit divide more sharply between people wey approach di film as Kore-eda work and people wey care more about whether e stay true to di manga and anime. Dat division go show pass if reactions after di premiere keep framing di live-action realism as something wey di film gain at di expense of how di original work build its characters.

Wetin to watch next

Reactions from di Venice premiere fit show whether critics and festival audience dey focus on di changed way Fujino and Kyomoto dey portrayed, di way monologue turn to action, and how di film show manga-making. Any distributor, territory, platform or release date wey dem announce publicly after di premiere go be di next clear sign of how “Look Back” go reach audience beyond di festival.