Kazuhisa Kotera

Kazuhisa Kotera is a filmmaker who doesn’t exactly play by anyone’s rulebook—he’s got this knack for slipping between genres and moods, like he’s dodging traffic in a crowded Tokyo side street. Shoutai (2024) is his latest, and it’s got people talking. Not in that, “oh, how lovely” way either. More like, “damn, did you see what he pulled off this time?” He’s not afraid to get dark, or weird, or straight-up uncomfortable. You never really know what you’re in for, and that’s half the fun. Before Shoutai, Kotera dropped Missing (2021), which, honestly, hit a nerve for a lot of people. It’s the kind of film that grabs you by the collar and won’t let go—messy, raw, and just a bit haunting. He digs into the whole idea of loss and what it does to people, but without all the sugar-coating. There’s always this undercurrent of “what would you do?” running through the story. Not exactly a popcorn flick, but sometimes you want something that punches you in the gut, right? And then there’s An Innocent Beat (2013), where he shifts gears again. It’s got music, youth, a bit of rebellion—totally different vibe, but still very Kotera. He’s got this way of making even the quiet moments feel like they matter, you know? Not many directors can do that, honestly. The dude’s got range, and he’s not about to get boxed in by anyone’s expectations.