Kore-eda’s ‘Sheep in the Box’ Examines AI, Grief, and Cultural Views at Cannes

Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda returned to competition at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival with his latest feature, “Sheep in the Box.” The drama follows a family—mother architect Otone (Haruka Ayase) and father wood-manufacturer Kensuke (Daigo Yamamoto)—who adopt a humanoid android (Rimu Kuwaki) resembling their deceased son Kakeru. The home serves as a “sandbox” for the ethical tension of using AI to recreate the dead.

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Kore-eda has previously examined relationships between humans and non-human entities in his 2023 Cannes-winning screenplay “Monster” and the 2020 film “Air Doll.” In “Sheep in the Box,” he extends that inquiry to a scenario where the non-human is also the dead, reflecting his long-standing interest in how technology mediates loss.

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The project is directed and written by Hirokazu Kore-eda, known for naturalistic child performances. He auditioned roughly 200 boys before casting Daigo Yamamoto as Kensuke and Haruka Ayase as Otone. Rimu, the android, is played by Rimu Kuwaki, whose performance required on-set “recharging” pauses.

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The film’s production involved a sizable audition process (?200 candidates) and a set designed to function as a dynamic “box,” reflecting the family’s architectural background. No further numerical data were disclosed in the source material.

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Kore-eda frames the narrative as a meditation on AI’s divergent perception in East and West. He notes Western discourse often links AI to dystopia, while Eastern perspectives emphasize coexistence, yet cautions AI may form autonomous communities indifferent to humanity. The film also questions ownership of the dead, calling the revival of them through technology “ethically precarious.”

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In interviews with Variety, Kore-eda emphasized that contemplating AI is inseparable from contemplating humanity. He linked his personal regrets about unspoken words to the film’s exploration of grief and communication. He also articulated that the story ultimately reflects a universal pattern of children outgrowing their parents, using AI as a metaphor for generational transition.

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• “To think about AI is to think about humanity,” — Hirokazu Kore-eda, Director

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• “At the same time, it’s ethically precarious for the living to use the dead for their convenience. The ultimate question was this: Who do the dead belong to?” — Hirokazu Kore-eda, Director

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• “In the West, it’s negatively associated with dystopia, whereas in the East, it’s about co-existence between human and non-human.” — Hirokazu Kore-eda, Director

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Sheep in the Box will be screened as part of the Cannes competition, allowing festival audiences and press to view the film.

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