“A generation looking up to something” — as suggested by its Japanese title — marks Yuiga Danzuka’s striking debut at Cannes and a strong contender for the Caméra d’Or.
Yuiga Danzuka, 26, is a film director currently presenting his debut feature at the 57th Quinzaine des cinéastes (Directors’ Fortnight), as part of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival.
“I still can’t believe it. I didn’t expect to be selected for an international festival so soon,” says Yuiga, stylishly dressed like many Tokyo youth. But unlike most of them, his film is making waves on the Croisette — and it’s competing for the prestigious Caméra d’Or Award.
His film, Brand New Landscape, offers a fresh perspective on one of Tokyo’s most familiar urban districts: Shibuya. Amid the gleam of glass towers and the sanitized perfection of newly redeveloped parks in this iconic commercial hub, we follow Ren (played by Kurosaki Kodai), a quiet delivery driver navigating the city’s restless scaffolding. But his journey is more than logistical — it’s personal.
Ren transports white orchids across Tokyo, even as he grapples with the grief of his mother’s suicide and a distant relationship with his estranged father Hajime (played by Kenichi Endo), a landscape designer complicit in Tokyo’s ongoing gentrification. Their accidental reunion becomes the heart of a story about urban alienation, fractured families, and the emotional undercurrents shaping Japan’s architectural future.
This theme resonates deeply with Yuiga, who was born and raised near Shibuya and has watched the city transform over time.
“I had a feeling of discomfort about the city, and I also had a feeling of discomfort about my family,” says Yuiga, a graduate of the Film School of Tokyo, and a former student of screenwriter Takashi Ujita and director Kunitoshi Manda.
He considers Brand New Landscape an outgrowth of his 2022 short film Far, Far Away, created under the New Directions in Japanese Cinema (ndjc) Young Filmmaker Development Project.
“Shibuya in this film is like a big city. I grew up here. Tokyo is different — not my hometown exactly, but unlike any other place in Japan. For most people, it may just seem like a changing landscape. But for me, it’s deeply personal,” he explains.
Indeed, Shibuya is not just a backdrop in Brand New Landscape — it’s a character in its own right. At the film’s center lies the newly redeveloped Miyashita Park, once a shelter for Tokyo’s homeless, now a gleaming monument to urban renewal. Yuiga’s cinematography captures the city through glass: transparent yet distorting, multilayered yet emotionally sterile.
“I really like locations that have depth and three-dimensionality,” he says. “I enjoyed filming in those layered spaces. The sound was kept very simple, so you could feel the silence and dysfunction even more.”
That silence is no accident. As Ren and Hajime’s relationship unfolds, Yuiga avoids melodrama. Conversations are terse, gestures minimal. The city’s ambient noise fades, giving way to an emotional quietude where architectural spaces reflect inner voids.
“It’s a film about discommunication,” he says. “I think every family experiences it — not just between parents and children, but also friends, lovers… anyone.”
Rather than evoking pity, the film observes these gaps with quiet clarity. That same observational sensibility guides Yuiga’s direction, even when working with seasoned actors like Kenichi Endo.
“I was the youngest on set,” he smiles. “But the cast and crew found my approach refreshing. We had good chemistry — ideas were exchanged freely.”
Despite the international spotlight, Yuiga is clear-eyed about the challenges facing Japanese filmmakers.
“Japanese films rarely get made with just domestic funding anymore. There’s far less government support than in places like France. International collaboration is essential,” he notes, speaking for a new generation of creators navigating economic limitations.
Yet, he remains committed to telling Japanese stories.
“There’s a creative core here. Even with co-productions, there are feelings and experiences only Japanese people can share. It’s about balance — how to create something beautiful that others can still relate to.”
Looking ahead, Yuiga reveals a strong interest in science fiction.
“I have a few ideas. With sci-fi, you can embed different meanings into the world you build.”
As for the film’s title, he explains:
“We initially chose the English title, Brand New Landscape, but then we came up with the Japanese title Miharashi Sedai, which loosely translates to ‘a generation that looks up to something.’ It’s poetic, maybe even aspirational.”
As the interview comes to a close, Yuiga bows slightly, offering a modest smile.
“Please wait a bit,” he says of his next film. “I will do my best.”
He already has.
Our reporters are on the ground in Cannes, France, to bring you exclusive content from the 78th Cannes Film Festival—explore our coverage here.
