Oscar-winning director Ryusuke Hamaguchi and the art of storytelling

Japanese filmmaker shares how his life shaped films like 'Evil Does Not Exist'

Ryusuke Hamaguchi in Macao in January: The director, whose characters "have their own mysteries ... have secrets like real people," keeps his own story to himself. (Courtesy of Festival of Young Cinema (Asia-Europe))

MATHEW SCOTT, Contributing writer

March 3, 2024 10:30 JST

MACAO -- Ryusuke Hamaguchi's rise has been among the most remarkable stories to emerge in global cinema over the past decade, as the Japanese director has transformed himself from a maker of domestic documentaries to an Oscar-winning auteur.

In this age of Hollywood blockbuster domination, much of the fanfare has been about how in the Academy Award-winning "Drive My Car" (2021) and the latest "Evil Does Not Exist" (2023), the filmmaker relies on the simple art of conversation to drive the unique brand of nuanced, slow-burn drama that has enthralled critics and captivated global audiences.