hirokazu koreeda c wiki commons

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Hirokazu Kore-eda

Japanese writer-director Hirokazu Kore-eda will receive the Donostia award at the 66th San Sebastian International Film Festival to be held from September 21-28.

Kore-eda will become the first Asian filmmaker to receive the honourary accolade which was created in 1986. Previous recipients include Francis Ford Coppola, Meryl Streep and Al Pacino.

The fesival honoured Ricardo Darin, Monica Bellucci and Agnès Varda last year. 

Kore-eda has previously screened work nine times at San Sebastian. His films have competed four times in the official selection: After Life (1998), Hana (2006), Still Walking (2008) and I Wish (2011). The latter received the best screenplay award.

He has also twice won the audience award: for Like Father, Like Son (2013) and Our Little Sister (2015).

The Donostia award presentation ceremony will host a special screening of Shoplifters, which won the Palme d’Or at Cannes last month. The film is an ensemble piece about a family living on its wits, and the things they do to keep themselves going. Screen’s review called it ‘a bittersweet fable’ with ‘stellar casting and performances’.

Read more: Palme d’Or winner Hirokazu Kore-eda on the family ties that inspired Shoplifters