Kurosawa Award Winner O Mipo Is ‘Making Up for Lost Time’ After Career Break to Raise Her Sons

Korean-Japanese director O Mipo has been honored with the 2026 Kurosawa Akira Award, an accolade recognizing filmmakers with notable achievements who embody the future of cinema. She shared this distinction with Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof at the 39th Tokyo International Film Festival, where the ceremony took place at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo.

O Mipo's trajectory in the film industry spans over two decades, beginning in 1999 when she worked as a script supervisor under director Obayashi Nobuhiko. Her early promise was evident with the award-winning short film “Eye” in 2002. She then transitioned to feature-length projects, with her debut screenplay and directorial feature “The Sakai’s Happiness” garnering the Sundance/NHK International Filmmakers Award in 2005.

Throughout the 2010s, O solidified her reputation with critically acclaimed works such as "Here Comes the Bride, My Mom!" which earned the Shindo Kaneto grand prize, and "The Light Shines Only There," Japan’s official submission for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2014. However, after releasing "Being Good" in 2015, she took an extended hiatus from feature filmmaking to focus on raising her two sons.

During her break from directing features, O continued to engage with the craft by contributing a segment to the 2022 international anthology "Tell It Like a Woman." She officially resumed her feature film career in 2024 with the coming-of-age drama "Living in Two Worlds," followed by the 2025 environmentally themed children’s film "How Dare You?."

Her recognition with the Kurosawa Award not only marks a professional milestone but also a personal resurgence. O expressed surprise upon learning of the honor, reflecting on her previous career gap and acknowledging the evolving landscape of the Japanese film industry. She highlighted significant changes since her early days, noting that the industry now features a markedly higher presence of female professionals and a shift toward more egalitarian production environments.

Despite an increase in domestic film production, with nearly 700 Japanese titles released annually, O observed that the international market has yet to fully embrace the breadth of Japan’s cinematic output. She voiced a desire for broader overseas recognition of Japanese films beyond the usual festival fare and expressed ambitions to work beyond Japan, inspired by prominent directors like Kore-eda Hirokazu and Hamaguchi Ryusuke who have found success abroad.

O also candidly discussed the practical realities of sustaining a filmmaking career in Japan, where directors rarely earn a living solely from feature films. She maintains a parallel career directing television commercials, a necessity given the financial constraints of the domestic industry. Since returning to full-time feature filmmaking, she has had to decline commercial offers to dedicate herself to movie projects, despite the accompanying challenges.

Addressing emerging technologies, O acknowledged the growing integration of artificial intelligence in filmmaking but remains convinced that human creativity and individual perspective will remain central to the art form. She emphasizes the importance of maintaining a personal vision and critical self-reflection when engaging with new tools.

O credits much of her artistic philosophy to her mentor Obayashi Nobuhiko, whose experimental approach and willingness to take risks continue to inspire her. Reflecting on her own age and career, she expressed optimism about her future in filmmaking, viewing the Kurosawa Award as a sign that she is regaining momentum after her hiatus.

While details about her upcoming projects remain limited, O Mipo’s renewed presence in cinema and her recognition with such a prestigious award underscore her enduring influence and evolving vision in contemporary Japanese film.