Nobody Knows - IFFDAY

Official selection

Family/ChildHuman Rights/Labor/Social

Based on a true incident that occurred in Tokyo in 1988, Nobody Knows is Kore-eda Hirokazu’s fourth feature film and a delicate portrayal of four siblings surviving amid parental neglect and social indifference. For over a year, the director filmed without a formal script, simply explaining each situation to the young actors and patiently allowing their emotions to shape the narrative organically. With no prior acting experience at all, Yagira Yuya plays Akira, the eldest son who must care for his younger siblings while still a child himself. He delivers a remarkably nuanced performance through natural expressions and gestures, convincingly conveying the character’s complex inner world. His acting reaches its emotional peak in the latter part of the film, particularly in the scene where he sets out to bury his sibling’s body. In that moment, Yuya channels an overwhelming mix of loneliness, responsibility, and helplessness, distilling unspeakable emotion into his vacant gaze, stoic face, slow steps, and heavy silence, leaving a profound impact in our minds. Yagira Yuya became the youngest ever recipient of the Best Actor Award at Cannes for his performance.

Programme note by JO Ji-hoon