Koji Fukada is framing 'Roca' as an artistic evolution, showcasing a tonal shift into comedy and music while maintaining his signature themes of loneliness and human connection. The project positions him as a filmmaker with range—capable of Cannes-level drama one moment and genre-blending musical storytelling the next.
Insiders note this marks Fukada's SIXTH collaboration with MK2 Films—a remarkably tight creative relationship for any director. Sources say the partnership has become something of a safety net for both parties, with MK2 providing international distribution muscle while Fukada delivers consistent festival credentials that bolster their Cannes presence year after year.
'Roca' is adapted from manga by Hisaichi Ishii ('My Neighbors the Yamadas'). The project originated in 2017 when playwright Oriza Hirata invited Fukada to adapt his 1994 play 'Tokyo Notes.' Fukada's previous collaboration with MK2, 'Harmonium,' won Cannes's Un Certain Regard Prize. His latest, 'Nagi Notes,' premiered in competition at Cannes on May 13, 2026.
Fukada and MK2 have built one of cinema's most reliable director-sales company relationships—and now they're betting that a manga adaptation about a fado singer torn between ambition and loyalty will translate to international audiences. With five Fukada films already in their catalog, this is a partnership built on trust, momentum, and what appears to be genuine creative chemistry.
While most filmmakers pray for one Cannes competition premiere, Koji Fukada arrived at the 79th Annual Cannes Film Festival with 'Nagi Notes' debuting in competition—and he's already announcing his next project. MK2 Films has officially boarded 'Roca,' Fukada's new feature adapted from a manga by Hisaichi Ishii ('My Neighbors the Yamadas'), marking their SIXTH collaboration together. The timing is deliberate: Fukada is riding high on critical acclaim for 'Nagi Notes,' which Variety's Guy Lodge praised as 'happily seeing the director returning to the form of his 2016 breakout "Harmonium," with the precision of its characterization and the balance between heartfelt emotional candor and pensive silence.' The film centers on Yoriko, a sculptor living in Nagi whose past love continues to shape her art.
Now Fukada pivots to something entirely different—a story about teenagers navigating dangerous territory. 'Roca' follows two young characters whose connection threatens to destroy them both: Roca is an aspiring fado singer with dreams of escape, while Mino is the daughter of a small-time yakuza member whose increasingly criminal activities put everything at risk. When Roca's musical ambitions begin taking shape, she's forced to choose between her future and the person who has always protected her.
It's a classic conflict dressed in Portuguese music and Japanese crime drama—and sources say Fukada is leaning into comedy alongside the tension, marking a notable tonal shift from his typically pensive work. The partnership between Fukada and MK2 Films reads like a greatest-hits list of prestige festival titles: 'A Girl Missing' (Locarno and Toronto), 'Love Life' (Venice competition 2022), 'Love on Trial' (Cannes premiere last year), 'Harmonium' (which won Cannes's Un Certain Regard Prize), and now back to Cannes with both 'Nagi Notes' in competition and 'Roca' announced.
MK2 Films isn't slowing down either—they're repping eleven features across this year's official selection, including five films in competition: Marie Kreutzer's 'Gentle Monster,' Léa Mysius' 'The Birthday Party,' Andrey Zvyagintsev's 'Minotaur,' Ira Sachs' 'The Man I Love,' and Fukada's own 'Nagi Notes.' In an interview with Variety, Fukada revealed the project's origins trace back to 2017 when playwright Oriza Hirata invited him to adapt his 1994 play 'Tokyo Notes' and recommended Nagi Museum of Contemporary Art as a potential filming location.
That connection eventually blossomed into something bigger—now spanning multiple films and several years of creative collaboration with MK2 Films. The Paris-based sales company clearly believes in Fukada's vision enough to commit to another feature before the current one even hits theaters. Produced by TBS and Comme des Cinémas, 'Roca' is shaping up to be their most ambitious genre experiment yet.
