Director O Mipo Claims Kurosawa Award After Career Hiatus

Korean-Japanese director O Mipo accepted the 2026 Kurosawa Akira Award on Monday at Tokyo's Imperial Hotel. She shared the distinction with Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof during the 39th Tokyo International Film Festival. The prize honors directors with substantial achievements who represent the future of cinema. O expressed disbelief upon learning of the selection, stating she initially wondered if an error had occurred. She noted that she had not produced major films prior to this recognition. O described her reaction as pure surprise and said she was happy that the committee chose her among many Japanese directors.

O entered the industry in 1999 as a script supervisor for director Obayashi Nobuhiko. Her early work included the short film "Eye," which won a prize at the 2002 Short Shorts Film Festival in Tokyo. In 2005, her debut feature script, "The Sakai's Happiness," secured the Sundance/NHK International Filmmakers Award. She directed that project herself. Her 2010 film "Here Comes the Bride, My Mom!" took the grand prize at the Shindo Kaneto Awards. The 2014 drama "The Light Shines Only There" served as Japan's entry for the Academy Award for best foreign language film.

Following the 2015 release of "Being Good," O paused her feature film work to raise her two sons. She contributed a segment to the 2022 anthology "Tell It Like a Woman" during that period. She returned to directing features in 2024 with the coming-of-age story "Living in Two Worlds." That film was followed in 2025 by the eco-themed children's drama "How Dare You?".

O observes that the Japanese film industry has changed significantly since she began her career. She points to an increase in female staff members and directors. The production culture has also shifted from a hierarchical structure to one where respect training is standard. She believes team members now operate on more equal footing regarding rights.

Despite domestic growth, O believes the international market for Japanese cinema has not fully developed. With nearly 700 Japanese films released annually, she feels the overseas market has not taken off. She cites directors Hirokazu Kore-eda and Ryusuke Hamaguchi as examples of filmmakers working abroad. O stated she wants to go to Hollywood someday.

O maintains a parallel career in television commercials to support her income. She notes that most Japanese directors rely on advertising and streaming work because film alone is often insufficient for survival. Her three-year hiatus reduced commercial offers, making her current financial situation somewhat bleak. She contrasts this with Hollywood, where directors often receive payment starting at the planning stage. In Japan, she said, directors do not receive a single yen at that early phase.

O views artificial intelligence as an inseparable part of filmmaking but does not expect machines to replace human directors. She advises her sons to prioritize their own sense of self before consulting AI. She draws inspiration from her mentor, Obayashi, who died at 82. O, who is 49, notes that her mentor's boldness serves as nourishment for her own career. She views the award as a signal that she is getting back on track after her career gap.