The film “Look Back” is currently holding an exclusive Hong Kong exhibition at Gallery by the Harbour from 5 to 27 September 2026, featuring rare stills from the film. Ahead of the movie’s highly anticipated release in Hong Kong, visitors can immerse themselves in the manga-creating world of the protagonists, Fujino and Kyomoto, and rediscover the moving spirit of pursuing one’s dreams.
The film will be released in Hong Kong and Macau on 17 September. Director Hirokazu Kore-eda will visit Hong Kong in mid-September together with the two lead actresses, Natsuki Deguchi and Ayaka Makita, who play Fujino and Kyomoto, respectively, to promote the film and make an appearance at this movie-themed exhibition.
The box-office hit animated film Look Back, winner of the Hochi Film Awards for Best Animated Film and the Japan Academy Film Prize for Animation of the Year, is adapted from the phenomenal manga of the same name by visionary manga artist Tatsuki Fujimoto.
The film is directed, written, and edited by Hirokazu Kore-eda, Japan’s internationally acclaimed master filmmaker and winner of the Palme d’Or, the highest honor at the Cannes Film Festival, for “Shoplifters”.
Rising Japanese actresses Natsuki Deguchi and Ayaka Makita reunite with director Kore-eda to play the two protagonists, Fujino and Kyomoto, respectively.
The film tells a deeply moving coming-of-age story about two girls who share a passion for manga. Fujino (played by Natsuki Deguchi) and Kyomoto (played by Ayaka Makita) are brought together by their genuine love of manga, spending 13 years of youth side by side.
With his signature strength in character development, director Hirokazu Kore-eda delicately portrays the emotional changes the two main characters experience as they grow up, adding a rich sense of sentiment and realism to the work. The film also faithfully recreates many iconic scenes that left a lasting impression on fans of the original manga.
Even before its official release, the film has already been selected for the Main Competition of the 83rd Venice International Film Festival, where it will compete for the Golden Lion, the festival’s highest honor.
Fujino and Kyomoto begin as elementary school students who both love drawing four-panel manga. Brought together through art, they create side by side and hone their drawing skills with the purest passion for illustration. This deep dedication and perseverance accompany them as they grow, leading them toward a broader creative world.
This film exhibition not only showcases more than 15 rare stills from the movie, but also features individual portraits of the director and the two lead actresses. It offers audiences an early glimpse into the cinematic world of “Look Back”, as well as the creative charm and presence of those both in front of and behind the camera.
Also on display are the manga works drawn by the film’s two characters, Fujino and Kyomoto. The exhibition also specially recreates the school desk scene from the movie, allowing fans to step into the iconic moment and take photos as keepsakes.
In addition, the exhibition has specially collaborated with five renowned local comic artists — Pen So, Don Mak, KIU, StepC., and fatmoonba — who each present their own unique interpretation of Look Back in the film’s signature four-panel manga format.
Special-edition four-panel manga paper from the film is also available on-site, allowing visitors to unleash their creativity and draw their very own four-panel manga, fully experiencing the joy of manga creation.
“Look Back” Movie Exhibition @Harbour City
Date: 5 – 27 September 2026
Date：11am – 9pm
Location：Gallery by the Harbour (Shop 207, Level 2, Ocean Centre, Harbour City)
