Neon has set a 25 November theatrical release date for “All of a Sudden”, the new film from Japanese writer-director Ryusuke Hamaguchi, positioning it for awards season. The release matters because Hamaguchi is already a major figure in international cinema after “Drive My Car”, and Neon is explicitly planning an awards campaign for the film following its Cannes success.

The French-Japanese drama premiered in competition at Cannes, where Virginie Efira and Okamoto Tao shared the best actress prize. The story follows Marie-Lou, who runs an elderly care facility and advocates a more dignity-focused model of care, before forming a close bond with Mari, a Japanese theatre director facing cancer. Hamaguchi co-wrote the screenplay with Léa Le Dimna, loosely drawing on a book of letters by Miyano Makiko and Isono Maho, and the film joins a packed 2026 Neon slate alongside titles from Luca Guadagnino, Cristian Mungiu and James Gray.