‘All Of A Sudden’ Teaser: Ryûsuke Hamaguchi’s Potential Cannes-Bound Humane Care Drama Stars Virginie Efira & Tao Okamoto

Acclaimed filmmaker Ryûsuke Hamaguchi‘s (“Drive My Car”) next feature effort is the anticipated drama “All of A Sudden” with a script based on “You & I – The Illness Suddenly Get Worse” by Makiko Miyano and Maho Isono, which was adapted by Léa Le Dimna and Hamaguchi. Tao Okamoto and Virginie Efira lead “All of A Sudden” with a supporting cast that includes Marie Bunel and Jean-Charles Clichet.

There is a serious reason for the excitement for a new film from Hamaguchi after “Drive My Car” ended up earning multiple awards at the Cannes Film Festival and was a strong contender for the Palme d’Or. It would go on to land four Academy Award noms for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay; the final nomination for Best International Feature film is where the pic walked away with a statue.

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A logline for the upcoming drama that comes to us via The Film Stage/Bitters End:

“‘The Garden of Freedom’ is a care facility located in the suburbs of Paris, France. Its director, Marie-Lou Fontaine, strives to provide care that upholds the dignity of every resident; yet, she constantly grapples with the realities of staff shortages and a lack of understanding among her team. Amidst these struggles, Marie-Lou encounters a Japanese theater director named Mari Morisaki. Marie-Lou finds renewed courage in the play Mari—who is currently battling cancer—is creating. Guided by the serendipity of their shared name, the two women begin to forge a bond. However, one day, Mari suddenly takes a turn for the worse. As Mari’s illness progresses, their relationship deepens dramatically, evolving into a profound spiritual connection where their very souls commune with one another.”

With a summer release for “All of A Sudden” In Japan, some are making logic-based expectations that the new title could end up being named as part of the lineup for the Cannes lineup for May, given that aforementioned acclaim for “Drive My Car” at the French festival. We’ll know for sure when that announcement is made on April 9, so the wait isn’t going to be painful.

Most audiences in the West will likely know Okamoto from her blockbuster comic book films, such as James Mangold‘s “The Wolverine,” and taking a minor part in Zack Snyder‘s “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.” Meanwhile, Efira played a nun in the Paul Verhoeven-directed erotic thriller, “Benedetta.”

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Take a look at that new teaser trailer and poster for “All of A Sudden” below, as the pic is set to head to Japanese theaters in June, as we wait to learn when North American audiences will be able to watch the new drama (handled by NEON after nabbing domestic rights in February) from Hamaguchi outside of the festival circuit.