The 70th BFI London Film Festival is bringing a strong Japanese presence to London this October, with a new live-action take on Tatsuki Fujimoto’s acclaimed manga Look Back leading the lineup. The festival will also screen Ryûsuke Hamaguchi’s intimate drama All of a Sudden and Erik Shirai’s sumo documentary Sumo: Spirit Weighs Nothing.
Running from Wednesday, October 7, through Sunday, October 18, 2026, the festival will present 251 features, shorts, series, and immersive works from 88 countries. The programme will be shown at BFI Southbank, the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, BFI IMAX, partner cinemas across London, and selected venues around the UK.
For anime and manga fans, however, Look Back is likely to be the major draw. Hirokazu Kore-eda’s film has been selected for the festival’s Official Competition, putting it in the running for the Best Film Award alongside nine other titles.
Look Back brings Fujimoto’s manga to live action
Fujino and Kyomoto first meet through their shared passion for manga. Fujino is a talented aspiring artist, while Kyomoto is a shy admirer of her work. Although the two girls appear to be opposites, their creative connection soon develops into a close partnership.
As their manga begins to attract attention, the pair face difficult choices that put both their artistic collaboration and personal bond under pressure. The story spans more than a decade, allowing the film to explore friendship, ambition, grief, and the complicated process of growing up.
For longtime fans, the project is notable because it reinterprets Fujimoto’s celebrated one-shot in live-action form after the story was previously adapted as an anime. Kore-eda, who serves as director and screenwriter, appears to be approaching the material as a character-focused coming-of-age drama rather than simply a conventional manga adaptation.
The film stars Natsuki Deguchi as Fujino and Aju Makita as Kyomoto. It is listed as a 100-minute Japanese-language production with English subtitles. The BFI also notes that the film contains scenes of graphic violence or injury, an important content warning for viewers unfamiliar with the original story.
Hamaguchi returns with All of a Sudden
Another major Japanese-related title at the festival is All of a Sudden, the latest film from Ryûsuke Hamaguchi. The director previously won the BFI London Film Festival’s Best Film Award for Evil Does Not Exist in 2023, making this new work a particularly interesting return to the festival.
The France-Japan-Germany-Belgium co-production follows Marie-Lou, a French nursing home director facing opposition from staff and shareholders after introducing a care model based on dignity. Her life changes when she meets Mari, a Japanese theatre director battling cancer.
Their encounter becomes the centre of a transformative relationship, with the film moving between French and Japanese. Virginie Efira and Tao Okamoto lead the cast, alongside Kyozo Nagatsuka, in a 196-minute drama that the BFI describes as a tender and transcendent study of humanity.
Hamaguchi’s films are often built around subtle conversations and emotional shifts, so All of a Sudden looks like a strong choice for viewers who prefer reflective character drama over spectacle. It is also a chance to see Okamoto, known for her work in Japanese film and television, in a substantial bilingual role.
Sumo: Spirit Weighs Nothing enters the ring
Erik Shirai’s Sumo: Spirit Weighs Nothing takes audiences inside the disciplined world of Japanese sumo wrestling. Rather than treating the sport as a colourful pop-culture curiosity, the documentary focuses on the physical demands, strict routines, and personal sacrifices required of its competitors.
Filmed over the course of a year, the documentary follows several fighters as they endure gruelling training while pursuing success in one of Japan’s most traditional sporting institutions. Its focus on dedication and resilience should make it appealing even to viewers who know little about sumo beyond the basics.
The film is listed as a Japan-USA-UK-Denmark production with a runtime of 99 minutes. Shirai’s visual approach gives the project a cinematic edge, while the access promised by the film could offer a rare look at the lives of athletes whose work is often reduced to the drama of the match itself.
The BFI London Film Festival’s full 2026 programme was announced on September 2, with tickets going on general sale on September 17. BFI Members receive earlier booking access, and screenings will take place across the festival’s London venues as well as selected cinemas in other UK cities.
For Toy Fan readers, Look Back is the title worth keeping an eye on, particularly with Kore-eda bringing Fujimoto’s manga to the Official Competition. But the broader Japanese selection is just as compelling: one film explores the creative bond between two artists, another examines an unexpected human connection, and a third heads deep into the demanding world of sumo.
Sources
bfi.org.uk
whatson.bfi.org.uk
