Japanese filmmaker Nanako Hirose, a protégé of Palme d’Or winner Hirokazu Kore-eda, is breaking new ground with her second feature, Between Two Lovers — a romantic drama centered on a married woman who enters a simultaneous relationship with her female lover, suggesting that all three live together. The film is set for release in Japan on November 27.
The film stars Masami Nagasawa (Our Little Sister) as Uta, a picture book creator described by the filmmakers as “selfish, cunning — yet utterly lovable.” Tasuku Emoto (Kobikicho no Adauchi) plays Uta’s husband Morio, an attentive man caught between his wife’s desires and traditional family values, while Shizuka Ishibashi, soon to headline the NHK Morning Drama Series Blossom*, portrays Uta’s lover and editor, Junna.
Hirose says the film “was born from the idea that there should be more diverse forms of family in the world.” She first developed the concept during the pandemic, spending the following years refining the screenplay.
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Nagasawa — fresh from her Japan Academy Award win for Dollhouse — shared her thoughts on embodying the complex Uta: “Within Uta-chan’s seemingly conflicted actions lie a mix of ideals, reality, and a sense of justice. Even so, her honesty and authenticity continue to draw people in.”
For Emoto, the project is “a story about love, brought to life by characters who are clumsy, yet full of longing.” Ishibashi added that her character is “clumsy and prickly like a hedgehog,” yet carries “a childlike softness inside.”
Before striking out as a director, Hirose honed her craft at Bunbuku Inc., the Tokyo-based film collective founded by Kore-eda and filmmaker Miwa Nishikawa in 2014.
Known as a creative incubator for emerging Japanese filmmakers, Bunbuku has mentored talents through every stage of production. Hirose’s first feature, His Lost Name (2018), premiered in competition at the Busan International Film Festival.
Between Two Lovers made industry waves early on, winning both the CJ ENM Award and ARRI Award at Busan’s Asian Project Market in 2023.
The film is a Japan–Taiwan co-production, shot by Taiwanese cinematographer Yao Hung-I (known for his collaborations with Hou Hsiao-hsien) and lighting director Hsiao Hung-Yi. Popular Japanese singer-songwriter HIMI composed the score — his first for a feature film.
Produced and distributed by K2 Pictures, the Tokyo-based studio founded by former Toei producer Muneyuki Kii, the project reflects K2’s mission to modernize Japan’s film financing model. Steering away from traditional production committees, the company employs a fund-based structure designed to return greater profits to creators.
K2’s directorial roster includes Kore-eda, Nishikawa, Takashi Miike, and Shunji Iwai, with financial backing from MUFG Bank and the Development Bank of Japan. Kii serves as executive producer on Between Two Lovers, with Daiju Koide producing.
By tackling themes of intimacy, freedom, and alternative family forms, Between Two Lovers positions Hirose as one of Japan’s most daring new voices — exploring modern love through the tender, complicated lens of a throuple.
