Children Untold
| Children Untold | |
|---|---|
 Official theatrical release poster | |
| Japanese name | |
| Kanji | わたしの知らない子どもたち |
| Directed by | Miwa Nishikawa |
| Written by | Miwa Nishikawa |
| Screenplay by | Miwa Nishikawa |
| Based on | Children Untold by Miwa Nishikawa |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Norimichi Kasamatsu |
| Edited by | Tomomi Kikuchi |
| Music by | Marihiko Hara |
Production company | Kii no Muneyuki |
| Distributed by | K2 Pictures |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 150 minutes |
| Country | Japan |
| Language | Japanese |
Children Untold (Japanese: わたしの知らない子どもたち) is an upcoming Japanese post-war drama film written and directed by Miwa Nishikawa. Based on her unpublished novel of same name, it's set in Tokyo during the final days and immediate aftermath of the Second World War. It follows a 12-year-old orphaned girl who disguises herself as a boy to survive the city's dangerous underworld, while her former teacher retraces her path in search of redemption.[1]
The film will open the Platform section of the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival in September 2026, competing for the Platform Prize.[2] It will be theatrically released in Japan by K2 Pictures on 16 October.[3]
Synopsis
[edit]In the charred ruins of 1945 Tokyo, during the final days and immediate aftermath of World War II, a young orphan 12-year-old daughter of musicians, to survive the harsh realities of the city's underworld, assumes the identity of a boy. Running parallel to her journey is that of her former teacher, who, haunted by guilt and struggling to survive herself, retraces the girl's footsteps in an attempt to uncover her fate.
Cast
[edit]- Aoi Koyae as Kotoko Kayano
- Fumi Nikaido as Fumiko Sone
- Ryota Bando as Kyoichiro Morozumi
- Kaito Sakurai as Ritsuro Kayano
- Yukiya Kitamura as a detective
- Yō Yoshida
- Yuichiro Hayama
- Josuke Kobayashi
- Iwata Ryumon
- Shibuya Soraji
- Hinata Takeuchi
- Kotone Hanase as Hiroe
- Yutaka Takenouchi as Koichi Chino
- Junichi Okada as Toru Kikuzawa
- Yūko Tanaka as Kei Yamai
- Koji Yakusho as Jinbe Yamai
Production
[edit]Miwa Nishikawa revealed that she thought about this project during the pandemic in 2020. Aoi Koyae plays the role of 12-year-old Kotoko, who was selected from around 500 people in an audition. It is produced by Daiki Koide and Taichi Ito, with K2 Pictures serving as production company. Norimichi Kasamatsu handled the cinematography, Tomomi Kikuchi edited the film, and the musical score was composed by Marihiko Hara.[1][4]
Release
[edit]Children Untold is scheduled to open the Platform Competition at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival in September 2026.[5][6]
On 14 May 2026, Italian sales agent Intramovies acquired worldwide rights to the film, giving it a wider theatrical release.[4]
It will be released theatrically in Japan on 16 October 2026 by K2 Pictures.
Accolades
[edit]| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto International Film Festival | 12 September 2026 | Platform Prize | Children Untold | Pending | [7][8] |
References
[edit]- 1 2 "わたしの知らない子どもたち" [Children Untold]. Eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 23 July 2026.
- ↑ Ryan Lattanzio (21 July 2026). "TIFF Reveals Platform Lineup of 12 Films from the Next Generation of Auteurs". IndieWire. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
- ↑ "Children Untold Set for Release on October 16, 2026". K2 Pictures. 12 May 2026. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
- 1 2 Naman Ramachandran (14 May 2026). "Nishikawa Miwa's War Orphan Drama 'Children Untold' Boards Intramovies for World Sales (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
- ↑ "Children Untold". Toronto International Film Festival. 21 July 2026. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
- ↑ Etan Vlessing (21 July 2026). "Toronto: Miwa Nishikawa's 'Children Untold' to Open Platform Competition". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
- ↑ Pond, Steve (21 July 2026). "TIFF Adds 12 Films to Compete for Oscars' International Spot". TheWrap. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
- ↑ Katz, David (22 July 2026). "Toronto announces its competitive Platform line-up". Cineuropa. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
External links
[edit]- Official website
- Children Untold at IMDb
- Children Untold at TIFF
