Sheep in the Box

Hirokazu Kore-eda’s moving drama follows a grieving couple who welcome an AI robot made to look exactly like their dead son.In the near future, Otone and Kensuke are still struggling with the loss of their young son, Kakeru, two years after his death.

Then an extraordinary opportunity arrives: a humanoid robot has been created with their son’s appearance and voice, and the couple decide to bring him home.

For Otone, the arrival brings a rush of happiness; Kensuke is much more cautious.

As their new family life begins, both must decide whether this machine can really fill the space left by their child.Directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda, the director of exquisitely observed family dramas such as Like Father, Like Son, Nobody Knows and the Palme d’Or-winning Shoplifters, Sheep in the Box uses a very unusual sci-fi premise to tell a surprisingly intimate story of family loss and love.

Haruka Ayase and Daigo bring warmth and subtlety to the roles of the parents, while newcomer Rimu Kuwaki is remarkable as Kakeru.

A thoughtful and gently moving film about what makes someone a member of the family - and whether AI can ever replace the person we have lost.