Emma Kawawada’s “Life Is Yours” centers on Kimie, a 71-year-old cleaner who infiltrates a luxury resort owned by a foreign company that seized her land and caused her husband’s death. Seeking revenge, she approaches the young CEO, Lily, but an unexpected maternal bond develops between them.
The Japanese production, produced by Eiko Mizuno-Gray and Takahashi Naoya through Toei and Loaded Films, is one of 17 in-development projects selected for the 24th Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum. Mizuno-Gray produced “Renoir,” which screened in competition at Cannes in 2025.
The drama, filmed in Japanese, Cantonese and English, marks Kawawada’s second feature following “My Small Land,” which was selected for the 72nd Berlinale Generation section in 2022 and received a Special Commendation from the Amnesty International Film Awards. Variety named Kawawada one of Japan’s emerging directors at Cannes in 2025.
Kawawada explained her attraction to the subject matter. “I became interested in places in Japan where, due to the boom in inbound tourism, prices have risen so much that Japanese people themselves can no longer easily visit for leisure. Although these places are located in Japan, they have begun to resemble resorts created primarily for foreign visitors. In my previous film, I portrayed foreign minorities living in Japan. With this project, I wanted to reverse the perspective and explore Japanese people who have, in a sense, become a minority within their own country.”
The director described the film’s thematic focus. “The film explores the tension between hatred and empathy, portraying both the difficulty and the fragile hope of human connection across racial and social divisions.”
Producer Takahashi Naoya outlined his reasons for backing the project. “Against the backdrop of Japanese land and landscapes being transformed by global capital, I was strongly drawn to director Emma Kawawada’s attempt to portray the complexity of human relationships — where a connection that begins with revenge gradually moves beyond hatred. Believing in the strong potential of this vision, I decided to join the project.”
Mizuno-Gray highlighted the project’s timeliness. “I decided to board the project after reading Emma Kawawada’s statement. I was particularly drawn to the director’s approach to delicately portraying both the hope and the challenges of understanding differences in an increasingly unstable world. Precisely because of the times we are living in, I felt that this is a film that needs to be made now.”
The producer outlined objectives for HAF. “In order to portray the non-Japanese Asian family in the story in a more authentic way, collaboration with Asian partners is essential. Through this platform, we hope to meet potential Asian co-production partners and connect with an international sales company that can help us shape the film’s global strategy.”
Kawawada debuted with the short “Circle” in 2012 as a student. Since 2014, she has worked with Bun-Buku, the production company founded by Kore-eda Hirokazu. In 2018, she received the Arte International Prize at the Asian Project Market in Busan. In 2024, she was selected for Japan’s Film Frontier program.
Naoya’s credits at Toei include “Hot Gimmick,” “Anime Supremacy!” and “Bait,” which won the TAICCA Award at the NAFF Project Market. His latest film, “Dear Stranger,” was selected for the Busan International Film Festival in 2025.
Mizuno-Gray’s credits at Loaded Films include “To the Ends of the Earth” and “Plan 75,” which received a Cannes Caméra d’Or Special Mention and served as Japan’s Oscar entry in 2023.
The project is seeking funds, co-producers and sales agents at HAF, which runs March 17-19 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Leave a Reply