"We Are Aliens," the first feature-length original animated film by up-and-coming director Kohei Kadowaki, known for his music videos such as "Gentle Comet" by the music unit "YOASOBI," has been officially selected for the Directors' Fortnight section of the 79th Cannes International Film Festival, which will be held from May 12th to 23rd (local time). It has also been announced that actors Ryota Bando and Amane Okayama will voice the characters and co-star in the film. Music producer Yaffle will be in charge of the music.
The film is planned, produced, and produced by "NOTHING NEW," a film label that plans and produces films mainly in the horror and anime genres, with director Kadowaki in charge of planning and screenplay. In a rural town in the Heisei era, Tsubasa, a shy boy, and Akitaro, a "special" person, meet and become best friends, but they encounter an irreversible event that occurs as a result of the distortions in their everyday lives. Bando plays Tsubasa and Okayama plays Akitaro. Makigi Yuto, who was selected through auditions, voices young Tsubasa, and Nakagomi Yuku voices young Akitaro. The film is scheduled to be released in 2026.
A teaser visual depicting the two characters playing on a veranda, Teaser trailer featuring the two, has been released.
◇Comments from Director Kohei Kadowaki
I am deeply honored that my film has been selected for the Cannes International Film Festival's Directors' Fortnight, giving people all over the world the opportunity to see it. "We Are Aliens" depicts universal emotions such as joy, sorrow, and pain that everyone knows, through characters and a story that I have poured a lot of personal feeling into. I look forward to seeing how the characters in this film will be received by people all over the world, and I believe that it will be a film that will touch the hearts of many.
◇Comment from Ryota Bando
I had the honor of voicing Tsubasa in the film "We Are Aliens." When I first read the script, I was convinced that it would be a film that would touch the hearts of many people, and I felt that I had to respond with all my might, thanks to the extraordinary passion of director Kadowaki and the staff. During the recording, Okayama Amane, who played the role of Akitaro, was next to me, and his voice was so powerful it was as if steam was rising from it, and I felt a tingling sensation in my body every second. I am also truly delighted that the film was selected for the Directors' Fortnight at the Cannes International Film Festival. I hope that this film will reach people not only in Japan but all over the world.
◇Comment from Amane Okayama
When I first saw the footage from the film, I was drawn into its beautifully distorted world. Through my interactions with Director Kadowaki, I was reminded that this film is deeply infused with his own spirit, and I remember desperately trying to weave together the outline of the adult Akatsuki Taro as I took on the role of voicing him. At the same time, the time I spent right beside Ryota Bando, who embodied the light and shadow of Tsubasa, was a very special and deeply moving experience for both Akatsuki Taro and myself. I hope that this small yet profound story of the two protagonists will reach many people, including its screening at the Directors' Fortnight at the Cannes International Film Festival.
◇Yaffle's comment
This is a film that feels like having your hidden depths poked and prodded with a spear. It's an overwhelmingly beautiful animation box containing a story filled with the passion of young people—a story you'll never forget until the day you die. It's the kind of film that deepens your understanding as you discuss it with those you watch it with. The beauty of humanity, including its ugliness, is also captured in the music.
