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Kore-eda Debuts AI-Son Drama “Sheep in the Box” at Cannes

5/13/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda returns to Cannes competition with his new film “Sheep in the Box.”
Otone (Ayase Haruka) and Kensuke (Yamamoto Daigo) adopt a humanoid android that resembles their late son Kakeru.
Kore-eda says the story questions who the dead belong to, inspired by a Chinese firm digitizing deceased people.
He notes views see AI as coexistence, Western views as dystopia, and predicts AI will form a community beyond humanity.

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Story summary

Filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda returns to Cannes competition with his new film “Sheep in the Box.”
Otone (Ayase Haruka) and Kensuke (Yamamoto Daigo) adopt a humanoid android that resembles their late son Kakeru.
Kore-eda says the story questions who the dead belong to, inspired by a Chinese firm digitizing deceased people.
He notes views see AI as coexistence, Western views as dystopia, and predicts AI will form a community beyond humanity.