In Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Air Doll, an inflatable sex doll spontaneously develops a soul and comes to life. While her owner is at work, Nozomi (Bae Doona) sneaks out to explore her Tokyo neighbourhood, eventually finding a job at a local video rental shop and falling in love with a coworker. Through her whimsical adventures, she tries to decipher what it truly means to be human, offering an insightful and yet absurd exploration of the human condition through the eyes of an outsider.

Master cinematographer Mark Lee Ping-Bing turns Tokyo into a melancholic pastel fantasy. Lee’s camera seems to ‘breathe’ alongside Nozomi, gliding with a gentle, curious fluidity that mirrors her quiet awe. Rather than capturing a sterile urban sprawl, Lee bathes the city in translucent natural light and the subtle rustle of wind, translating the invisible texture of air into a tangible, painterly presence.

Through this exquisite visual language, Air Doll becomes a unique, deeply philosophical meditation on modern urban loneliness, existential identity, and the fragile beauty of human connection.

Acclaimed Japanese auteur Hirokazu Kore-eda (b. 1962, Japan) is renowned for his intimate, humanistic portraits of family, memory, and loss. Beginning his career in documentaries, he earned global recognition with masterpieces like Nobody Knows (2004) and Still Walking (2008). He reached new heights at the Cannes Film Festival, winning the Jury Prize for Like Father, Like Son (2013) and the prestigious Palme d’Or for Shoplifters (2018).