Japanese Director's Slow Cinema May Win Top Prize at Cannes

In a world obsessed with speed, one filmmaker is proving that slowing down might be exactly what we need. Japanese director Ryusuke Hamaguchi brought his latest three-hour film to the Cannes Film Festival, and critics are calling it one of the best of the year.

"All of a Sudden" tells the story of Marie-Lou Fontaine, who runs a Paris elderly care home teaching staff to prioritize personal connection over efficiency. The approach, called Humanitude, emphasizes looking residents in the eye and spending real time with them.

The irony isn't lost on Hamaguchi. He's screening a movie about taking time at a festival where people sprint between theaters and standing ovations get stopwatches. "We all feel this," he said over coffee in Cannes. "It's about not having the time to give our interest to others."

His commitment to this philosophy extends beyond the screen. Hamaguchi spent five months filming in an actual Paris care facility, with many residents appearing as extras. He treats his film crews the same way, rejecting industry practices that rush actors through emotional scenes.

"What I want to record is not the prepared emotions but the emotions that arise out of reacting with each other," he explained. "For that to happen, it's important to have time."

The approach has already proven successful. Hamaguchi's 2021 film "Drive My Car" became the first Japanese movie ever nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars, proving that audiences will embrace slower, more thoughtful storytelling.

Why This Inspires

Hamaguchi's work offers a blueprint for a more humane world, whether in filmmaking, caregiving, or daily life. His months spent with elderly care residents taught him something powerful: "Despite what's to come, no matter how definitive, we can always find other ways to live or find happiness."

The director admits he relies on his "discomfort" with conventional plot mechanics that force things to happen artificially. Instead, he lets genuine human connection unfold naturally on screen.

American distributor Neon will release "All of a Sudden" in the U.S. later this year, bringing Hamaguchi's message to wider audiences hungry for stories that honor our shared humanity.

In a culture that demands we move faster, produce more, and maximize every minute, Hamaguchi's cinema whispers a different truth: the best things in life can't be rushed.