Live-Action Look Back Earns Venice Student Jury’s UNIMED Prize
A jury of 25 students from 16 universities across seven countries selected the film for the honor.
The live-action adaptation of Tatsuki Fujimoto’s Look Back won the UNIMED Award at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival. Director Hirokazu Kore-eda accepted the prize at Sala Laguna.
UNIMED (Mediterranean Universities Union) announced Friday that the live-action adaptation of Tatsuki Fujimoto’s one-shot manga Look Back won its student jury award. Hirokazu Kore-eda accepted the honor last Friday during the 83rd Venice International Film Festival.
The award recognizes cultural diversity, artistic freedom and dialogue between cultures. Its international jury comprised 25 students representing 16 UNIMED-associated universities in seven countries.
The ceremony took place at Sala Laguna, Via Pietro Buratti 1, Lido di Venezia. The festival ran from September 2-12.
The film’s release and festival schedule includes:
- May 15: Screening at the 79th Cannes International Film Festival.
- September 11: Japanese theatrical opening.
- October: Screening at the London Film Festival.
- 2026: GKIDS theatrical releases in the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and Ireland.
Aju Makita (Child of Kamiari Month, Happiness) plays Kyōmoto. Natsuki Deguchi (I Have a S/e/c/r/e/t/, Blue Spring Ride) portrays Fujino.
Kore-eda (Shoplifters, Our Little Sister, Air Doll) directed, edited and wrote the screenplay. Yūta Bandō (BELLE, Kaiju No. 8), also known as Taku Matsushiba, composed the score.
The additional staff members are:
- Photography: Senzo Ueno
- Lighting: Masachio Nishida
- Sound: Kazuhiko Tomita
- Art direction: Shinsuke Kojima
- Costume design: Sachiko Ito
- Hair and makeup supervision: Katsuhiko Yūmi
- Assistant director: Kensei Nakayama
- Scripter: Ryōko Taguchi
- Casting: Toshie Tabata and Yōko Yamashita
- VFX supervisor: Rinto Ueda
- Line producer: Shinichi Muraoka
Musician Kenshi Yonezu, actress and singer Tōko Miura, and animator and director Yōko Kuno contributed as special guest staff.
Yonezu plays guitar under the credit “Shark Kick Guitar,” while Miura sings an insert song. Kuno directed a rotoscoped animation sequence based on their performance, with Shinei Animation handling production.
Cannes describes the film as a tender coming-of-age story spanning more than a decade. It follows two girls whose shared passion for manga and ambition to become manga artists bring them together.
Fujino is a talented artist hoping to pursue manga professionally. She meets Kymoto, a shy fan of her work. Despite their apparent differences, their love of manga makes them an ideal creative pair.
As their work attracts acclaim and attention, they face choices that could jeopardize their partnership. Cannes characterizes Kore-eda’s film as a beautiful tribute to friendship and creativity that offers perceptive insights into the craft.
Fujimoto released the original one-shot on Shueisha’s Shonen Jump+ in July 2021. It drew more than 2.5 million views on its first day.
Viz Media and MANGA Plus released the manga digitally in English. Viz Media followed with a print edition in September 2022.
The anime film adaptation of Look Back reached Japanese theaters in June 2024. Its opening weekend placed second for ticket sales and first for earnings.
Over its first three days, the anime sold 135,000 tickets and earned 227 million, approximately US$1.40 million.
GKIDS screened the anime in North America in October 2024. Its opening weekend at the U.S. box office brought in US$688,253.
Fujimoto, also known for Fire Punch, launched Chainsaw Man in Weekly Shonen Jump in December 2018. Its first part, the “Kōan” (Public Safety) arc, concluded in December 2020.
The second part, “Gakkō-hen” (School Arc), began on Shueisha’s Shonen Jump+ service in July 2022. It ended on March 24, or March 25 in Japan.
