The Drive My Car director is back with a new movie, and its trailer has now arrived. Ryusuke Hamaguchi returns with All of a Sudden after Drive My Car won the Oscar for Best International Feature Film in 2022.
All of a Sudden follows a care-home director whose life changes after she meets a Japanese theater director battling cancer. It has now been selected as Japan’s entry in the same category at the 2027 Academy Awards.
The trailer introduces Marie-Lou (Virginie Efira), the new director of an elder-care facility near Paris. She wants to change how the residents are treated by bringing in the Humanitude approach. It focuses on empathy, listening, and treating each resident with dignity. However, Marie-Lou faces opposition from staff and the facility’s board as she tries to improve care.
Her life changes when she meets Mari (Tao Okamoto), a Japanese theater director from Kyoto who has terminal cancer. They grow closer through talks about art, illness, and care. Mari’s theater work also affects Marie-Lou, while her health continues to get worse. The trailer follows their growing friendship and the bond they form through their concern for others.
Check out the All of a Sudden trailer:
What to know about Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s All of a Sudden
All of a Sudden premiered in competition at Cannes, where Efira and Okamoto shared the Best Actress prize. Okamoto also became the first Japanese actress to win the Cannes acting award.
The 196-minute France-Japan-Germany-Belgium production is loosely based on correspondence between philosopher Makiko Miyano and medical anthropologist Maho Isono. Hamaguchi co-wrote the screenplay with Léa Le Dimna.
The film will screen at the 64th New York Film Festival as its U.S. premiere. NEON holds the North American rights.
The Cannes recognition gives the film a strong awards boost ahead of its wider release. It also marks Hamaguchi’s return to the Oscar race after Drive My Car became a four-time nominee and won International Feature.
The film will be released in theaters on 25 November, 2026.
