Hirokazu Kore-eda’s ‘Sheep in the Box’: A Poignant Exploration of Grief and AI at Cannes 2024

‘Sheep in the Box,’ the latest film by acclaimed Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda (Shoplifters, Still Walking), premiered on Saturday at the Cannes Film Festival’s Main Competition. The movie explores themes of androids, artificial intelligence, and found family, but steers away from genre conventions to focus on grief, death, and the dual role of technology in mourning.

Kore-eda, known for his humanist storytelling, examines how people sacrifice and care for one another despite self-interest. In Sheep in the Box, he shifts from destruction to reflection, questioning the emotional cost of technological comfort.

The Opening Vision: Technology, Nature, and Humanity

The film opens with a sweeping shot of Yokohama, where the camera lingers on architecture nestled within lush countryside. A title declares the setting as the “not so distant future,” as drones carrying unknown packages traverse the sky. The scene establishes a world where technology, nature, and humanity coexist—unevenly but inevitably.

The central couple, Otone Komoto (Haruka Ayase) and Kensuke Komoto (Daigo Yamamoto), live in a home designed to harmonize with its surroundings. Natural light floods every room, yet the nights feel isolating. Their son, Kakeru (Rimu Kuwaki), has recently passed away, leaving them in profound grief.

The Arrival of Robotic Kakeru

Otone receives an advertisement—delivered by one of the city’s autonomous robots—for a service that recreates deceased loved ones as humanoid androids. Skeptical but desperate, the couple decides to rent a robotic version of Kakeru. Kensuke, initially reluctant, admits,

“People’s misfortunes can be profitable.”

Over the film’s runtime, Kore-eda’s meditative pacing allows for a deep dive into the psychological and ethical implications of using AI to cope with loss. The robotic Kakeru is a near-perfect replica of their son, yet his limitations reveal the chasm between memory and artificial companionship.

The Limits of Artificial Companionship

Kensuke discovers that Kakeru’s intelligence settings can be adjusted and that he requires a charging chair when low on power. He jokes,

“We’ve been given a Tamagotchi and a Roomba in one.”