K2 Pictures Lifts Lid On Hirokazu Kore-Eda Protégé Nanako Hirose’s ‘Between Two Lovers’

Japan’s K2 Pictures has unveiled fresh details for former Hirokazu Kore-eda assistant Nanako Hirose’s love triangle drama Between Two Lovers starring Masami Nagasawa, Tasuku Emoto and Shizuka Ishibashi.

The complex and multifaceted tale of love revolves around a woman, husband and lover who try to cohabit under the same roof. Nagasawa stars as picture book creator Uta, a woman with a selfish and cunning streak who is also “utterly loveable”, opposite Emoto as her husband and Isibashi as her lover.

“It was born from the idea that there should be more diverse forms of family in the world,” said Hirose of the long-gestated project for which she developed the concept and wrote the screenplay.

Between Two Lovers is the second feature film to come to fruition for K2 Pictures since its launch by former Toei producer Muneyuki Kii in 2024 with ambitions to create a new funding ecosystem for Japanese animated and live-action features.

Hirose began her career as an assistant director for Kore-eda and Miwa Nishikawa at Bunbuku Inc., a creators’ collective founded by the two directors.

This is Hirose’s second film after 2019 directorial debut His Lost Name starring Yuya Yagira, who broke out internationally as the youngest winner of the Cannes Best Actor prize for his performance in Kore-eda’s 2004 film Nobody Knows.:

The project drew attention at the development stage winning the CJ ENM Award and the ARRI Award at Busan’s Asian Project Market (APM).

Award-winning actress Nagasawa was seen most recently in the Dollhouse, for which she won best actress in the 49th Japan Academy Film Awards.  

“The moment I first met Masami Nagasawa and heard her read the lines, I felt instantly that the character of Uta had come alive,” said Kii.  “Nagasawa masterfully portrays the selfish yet charming character who acts freely but is somehow impossible to hate.”

Shot last September and October, the film is completed with K2 Pictures setting a November 27 release in Japan.

A Japan-Taiwan co-production, the a number of Taiwanese crew members participated in the cinematography and lighting, led by Yao Hung-I, who has worked as the cinematographer for Hou Hsiao-hsien’s later works and Missing Johnny, directed by Huang Xi.

K2 Pictures have released a 30-second teaser trailer for the film. Check it out below.