All of a Sudden | Preview
by Ryūsuke Hamaguchi
When time stands still: a tender and brilliant masterpiece from Ryûsuke Hamaguchi.
With his understated and precise storytelling, Japanese director of Drive My Car has established himself as one of contemporary cinema's finest observers of human relationships.
In his latest feature film, All of a Sudden, he weaves together two vastly different worlds into a warm and deeply thought-provoking drama.
Where
Cinema
The film follows Marie-Lou (Virginie Efira), who manages a care home for people living with dementia in Paris, and Mari (Tao Okamoto), a terminally ill Japanese playwright. When an unexpected encounter leads Marie-Lou to Mari’s theater performance, an unusual and profound connection emerges. Through long conversations, philosophical exchanges, and shared reflections on time, care, and mortality, the film challenges our view on the value of a human life - and how we choose to live it.
Lead actresses Virginie Efira and Tao Okamoto shared the Best Actress award at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival. International critics highlight All of a Sudden as a contemplative and heartwarming masterpiece. With an effortless balance between institutional realism and poetic depth, Hamaguchi explores the intersection of care and capitalism, labor and presence.
All of a Sudden takes its time, but rewards the audience with a crystal-clear and deeply moving portrait of what it truly means to connect with another human being.
Leaves you a slightly different version of the person you were before
Title
All of a Sudden
Film by
Ryūsuke Hamaguchi
Country
France, Japan
Year
2026
Languages
Japanese, French
Subtitles
English
Duration
3:16 h
