O Mipo, Kurosawa Award Recipient, Returns to Filmmaking After Hiatus to Raise Children

Recipient of the prestigious Kurosawa Akira Award in 2026, Korean-Japanese filmmaker O Mipo expresses her joy and renewed ambition. Following a break from feature films to focus on her family, she is now fully immersed in her filmmaking career. Mipo also offers her perspective on the changing landscape of the Japanese film industry, its challenges in the international market, and her aspirations for working in Hollywood.

Celebrated Director O Mipo's Triumphant Return to Filmmaking

In November 2026, during the 39th Tokyo International Film Festival, acclaimed Korean-Japanese director O Mipo received the distinguished Kurosawa Akira Award, an honor she shares with Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof. The award recognizes accomplished filmmakers who represent the future of cinematic art. Mipo, brimming with excitement, met with Variety just before the ceremony at Tokyo's esteemed Imperial Hotel to discuss her career, her recent return to feature films, and her vision for the future.

Mipo's career began in 1999 as a script supervisor for the renowned director Obayashi Nobuhiko. Her talent quickly garnered attention, earning her a prize at the 2002 Short Shorts Film Festival in Tokyo for her short film “Eye.” In 2005, her screenplay “The Sakai’s Happiness” won the Sundance/NHK International Filmmakers Award, leading to her directorial debut with the same title. Her 2010 drama, “Here Comes the Bride, My Mom!”, which she also penned, was awarded the grand prize at the Shindo Kaneto Awards, recognizing promising new directors. Further cementing her reputation, her 2014 film “The Light Shines Only There” was Japan's official submission for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

After directing the 2015 drama “Being Good,” Mipo took a hiatus from feature films to raise her two sons. During this period, she contributed a segment to the 2022 international anthology “Tell It Like a Woman.” Her return to feature filmmaking in 2024 with the coming-of-age drama “Living in Two Worlds” and the 2025 eco-themed children’s drama “How Dare You?” marked a significant re-entry into the industry.

Reflecting on her Kurosawa Award, Mipo confessed to initially feeling disbelief, wondering if there had been a mistake. She expressed profound happiness that her work had been recognized among the many talented directors in Japan. She noted the dramatic evolution of the Japanese film industry since her early days, particularly highlighting the increased presence of female staff and directors. Mipo also observed a shift from a hierarchical, director-centric model to a more collaborative environment where "respect training" ensures a more equitable footing for all involved in film production.

Despite the growing number of Japanese film releases, Mipo acknowledged that the overseas market remains largely untapped for many Japanese productions. She voiced a strong desire for her films to gain international recognition and expressed her ambition to follow in the footsteps of acclaimed Japanese directors like Kore-eda Hirokazu and Hamaguchi Ryusuke by directing films abroad. Her ultimate goal, she revealed, is to work in Hollywood.

Mipo also candidly discussed the economic realities of being a film director in Japan. She explained that many directors, including herself, rely on commercial work, TV dramas, and streaming projects to sustain themselves, as solely directing movies often isn't financially viable. Her recent hiatus to raise her children underscored this challenge, as turning down commercial offers to focus on feature films led to a decrease in opportunities. She contrasted this with the Hollywood model, where directors are typically compensated from the planning stage, a practice largely absent in Japan.

Addressing the rise of artificial intelligence, Mipo believes AI will become an integral part of filmmaking but will not replace human creativity. She emphasizes to her sons, and reminds herself, the importance of maintaining a strong sense of self and constantly asking, "What do I really want to do?"

Mipo draws inspiration from her mentor, Obayashi Nobuhiko, who consistently embraced challenges throughout his career. Obayashi's cult sci-fi hit “House,” released in 1977, the year Mipo was born, remains a timeless and captivating film. This enduring legacy resonates deeply with Mipo, who, at 49, feels she still has much to achieve in her long career. The Kurosawa Award, she believes, has put her back on the right track, enabling her to make up for lost time and pursue her artistic aspirations with renewed vigor.

The journey of O Mipo is a testament to resilience and unwavering passion in the face of life's demands. Her story offers a powerful message for aspiring filmmakers and professionals in any field: that a career break for personal reasons can be a period of growth, and that with dedication, one can always return to pursue their dreams, making up for lost time with renewed purpose and ambition. Her insights into the evolving film industry, the challenges of balancing artistic endeavors with financial realities, and her embrace of new technologies like AI, all contribute to a compelling narrative of a modern artist navigating a complex world. Mipo's aspiration to bring Japanese cinema to a global audience and her dream of working in Hollywood are inspiring goals that speak to the universal language of film and the desire for diverse voices to be heard.