Thou’lt Look Back No More, Never, Never, Never, Never, Never

Young Shihio once unsuccessfully auditioned for a film role. She has long since buried her dream of becoming an actress when, seven years later, she surprisingly gets a second chance. The director of yesteryear has not forgotten her and now desperately wants to cast her in his new film. What does he see in the young woman? A talent for acting? A vulnerable soul? Something true? Shihio's everyday life is marked by routine. Lonely, she lives with or rather next to her boyfriend in a small flat. Who is she anyway? What is her true self? Or is she merely a vessel into which the director can pour his idea of her?

Directed by Takushi Ueta, Thou’lt Look Back No More, Never, Never, Never, Never, Never leans on a strong ensemble — Shiho Tanaka, Atsushi Oda, Yuki Tamura — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about screen titles of 2021.