"The first film I'd like to talk about is "Nagi Notes" by Koji Fukada. It is playing in competition, and it's a pretty mesmerizing, ruminative film that's set in a small town in Japan. It begins with an architect by the name of Yuriko, who arrives to see her, her former sister-in-law Yuri, who's a sculptor, and Yuriko and Yuri have been friends for quite some time and remain friends, mostly because they both have failed relationships. And those failed relationships are really what bind them together."
"I mostly liked the film, mostly for its ruminative rhythms and beats. However, in terms of whether it's going to compete in competition, it might contend for the protagonist, the lead actress, who is absolutely, really fantastic in it. She gives the film a kind of empathetic rhythm, a pathos that brings us into the world of a woman who is pretty locked away from her surroundings and is trying to find meaning and connection in those around her."
"And this is one of the things I very much love about it, the photography. The photography brings us into this verdant landscape of rolling hills in a very rural area that includes cows and all the accouterments of living in the middle of nowhere, basically, but living in peace in the middle of nowhere."
The 2026 Cannes Film Festival runs from May 12 through May 24, with coverage of major films in review and video form. A segment from Cannes reviews two new films from the official selection. Nagi Notes by Koji Fukada plays in competition and is set in a small Japanese town. The story centers on Yuriko, an architect, who visits her former sister-in-law Yuri, a sculptor, and their long friendship shaped by failed relationships. The film is described as mesmerizing and ruminative, with strong acting and empathetic rhythm provided by the lead actress. The photography is praised for capturing rolling hills, rural life, and a peaceful sense of isolation.
Read at Roger Ebert
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