A chance encounter blossoms into a life‑changing friendship and a shared desire to make the world a better place in this absorbing, richly textured drama from the Oscar‑nominated director of Drive My Car.

Marie runs a care home in France and believes deeply in treating older people with dignity and independence. When she meets Mari, a Japanese theatre director living with cancer, the two women form an immediate and profound connection. Their conversations about care, human connection, art and life begin to reshape both of them — and the people around them.

Directed by Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, the acclaimed filmmaker behind Drive My Car, All of a Sudden is a beautifully observed, life‑affirming film whose generous runtime allows its characters space to talk, laugh and simply exist together, as seemingly ordinary exchanges gather extraordinary weight. Virginie Efira and Tao Okamoto jointly won Best Actress at Cannes, and make a wonderful pairing, bringing warmth and humour to a film that tackles serious subjects without ever becoming gloomy.

“A transcendent film whose power is capable of rekindling one’s hope in humanity” – The Playlist

“A two-pronged attack on the head and the heart, rewarding viewers for their patience and attention by leaving them emotionally and intellectually affected in a way that will last long after the credits end” – Next Best Picture

“It achieves a kind of levitating grace, before depositing you back down in your seat again, a slightly different, slightly mended version of the person you were before” – Variety

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Credits:

Actor

Virginie Efira, Tao Okamoto, Kyôzô Nagatsuka

Director

Ryusuke Hamaguchi

UK Distributor

Curzon Film Distribution

Running Time: 197 min

Year: 2026

Country: France, Japan

Languages: French, Japanese

Subtitles: English

Recomended Age: 15

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