In My Father's Room
| In My Father's Room | |
|---|---|
| Japanese | 無用の人 |
| Directed by | Maha Harada |
| Screenplay by | Maha Harada |
| Based on | "An Unnecessary Man" by Maha Harada |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Yoshio Kitagawa |
| Edited by | Azusa Yamazaki |
| Music by | Mamiko Hirai |
| Distributed by | Bitters End |
Release dates |
|
| Country | Japan |
| Language | Japanese |
In My Father's Room (Japanese: 無用の人) is a 2026 Japanese drama film directed by Maha Harada (in her directorial debut) based on her own short story "An Unnecessary Man". It stars Yū Aoi, Issey Ogata, Eita Nagayama, and Eri Watanabe.
It had its world premiere at the 74th San Sebastián International Film Festival on 21 September 2026.
Plot
[edit]The plot follows the plight of Satomi, an art museum curator, who unspools information about the last days of her father.
Cast
[edit]Release
[edit]Bitters End acquired international sales rights as well as Japanese distribution rights.[2] The film premiered at the 74th San Sebastián International Film Festival on 21 September 2026.[3] It was also programmed at the 31st Busan International Film Festival.[4] It is scheduled to be released theatrically in Japan in January 2027.[2]
Reception
[edit]Matthew Joseph Jenner of International Cinephile Society rated the film 4 out of 5 stars, declaring it "a poetic ode to family and the often challenging elements that bind us together".[5]
Jonathan Romney of ScreenDaily assessed that the film proves to be "ultimately more an objet d’art of preciousness than depth".[1]
Enric Albero of El Cultural deemed the film to be "a beautiful ode to poetry" as well as a celebration of transience, extolling "the precision with which Harada shapes a story that conceals a process of (self-)discovery".[6]
Accolades
[edit]| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2026 | 74th San Sebastián International Film Festival | FIPRESCI Award | Won | ||
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 5 Romney, Jonathan (22 September 2026). "'In My Father's Room' review: A woman gets to know her late father in delicate debut from Japanese novelist-turned-filmmaker Maha Harada". ScreenDaily. Retrieved 27 September 2026.
- 1 2 Ramachandran, Naman (28 July 2026). "San Sebastian Competition Title 'In My Father's Room' Boarded by Bitter's End for Sales (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 27 September 2026.
- ↑ "'In my father's room', un filme sobre la belleza de lo cotidiano con Erice como referente". Infobae (in Spanish). 21 September 2026. Retrieved 27 September 2026.
- ↑ Ramachandran, Naman (21 September 2026). "Bestselling Japanese Novelist Maha Harada Says 'If This Is a Dream, I Hope I Never Wake Up' About Her San Sebastian – and Busan – Bound Directing Debut 'In My Father's Room'". Variety. Retrieved 27 September 2026.
- ↑ Jenner, Matthew Joseph (22 September 2026). "San Sebastian 2026 review: In My Father's Room (Maha Harada)". International Cinephile Society.
- ↑ Albero, Enric (22 September 2026). "Pablo Larraín y Mariana Enriquez describen una Argentina fantasma en 'Mis muertos tristes'". El Cultural (in European Spanish). Retrieved 27 September 2026 – via El Español.
- ↑ Ntim, Zac (26 September 2026). "San Sebastián: Mike Leigh's 'Tender Loving Care' Wins Golden Shell & Best Screenplay". Deadline. Retrieved 26 September 2026.