Like Father, Like Son

Two sons have been switched at birth. One is raised in a suburban working class family, the other in an upper class family. What happens when they must be returned to their biological parents? Like Father, Like Son is a classic story, told many times before, but through Koreeda's sharp eyes and fine direction, it is given a depth that really makes you think about the twists of fate and existence. Koreeda knows how to deal with themes like the contrasts of life and personal affiliation. The film is gripping and moving, but never directly sentimental. Its emotional powers lies in believable storytelling, even if the story is so simple that it almost seems like an anecdote. This is a beautiful and heartbreaking film, deservingly awarded with the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival.

Hirokazu Kore-eda is one of Japan’s foremost filmmakers. His original ambition was to be a novelist. He studied literature at Waseda University, but upon graduation had a change of heart and started making documentaries for Japanese television. He has directed a series of award winning films, including After Life (1998), Nobody Knows (2004), Still Walking (2008) and Like Father, Like Son (2013) and Our Little Sister (2015).

Norwegian distribution by Arthaus.