ReviewCannes 2026: Sheep in the Box movie review – Hirokazu Koreeda tackles grief in sci-fi tale
Hirokazu Koreeda’s Cannes entry probes grief, artificial intelligence and family bonds, but its subplots leave the film scattered
3/5 stars
It is perhaps unsurprising that he would be inspired by the “sheep in the box” sequence in Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s The Little Prince, where the leading character declares the best painting of a lamb to be one that is hidden and unseen.
Ironically, in a film named after this scene, Koreeda chooses to spell out nearly every point he wants to make: his reflections on how parents mourn their dead children, his doubts about artificial intelligence, his view of nature as a solace rather than a threat and, of course, his exploration of blood relations as a mere superficial component of personal relationships.
Set in a small Japanese town in the “not-too-distant future”, Sheep in the Box revolves around modernist architect Otone (Haruka Ayase) and artisan woodworker Kensuke (Daigo Yamamoto), a couple whose serene demeanour conceals their grief over losing their son in mysterious circumstances two years prior.