The first Japanese film to be nominated ‘Best Picture’ nominee will stream on HBO Max

WarnerMedia, the company that owns HBO Max, announced that they have acquired the Japanese drama Drive My Car.

Drive My Car received Academy Award Nominations in four categories — Directing, International Feature Film, Adapted Screenplay, and Best Picture, making it the first Japanese film ever nominated in the category.

Drive My Car was shown at the Cannes Film Festival in July of 2021, then received its theatrical debut in August in Japan. Finally, it was debuted in USA theaters on November 24, 2021.

The movie follows actor and theater director Yūsuke Kafuku, who is recently widowed. After receiving an offer to direct an adaptation of the Russian play “Uncle Vanya,” Kafuku travels to Hiroshima for a theater festival, where he meets the young chauffeur Misaki Watari.

The film goes deep, taking on love, loss, and moving on. With a 98% Tomatometer rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s no surprise that WarnerMedia wants this hit.

Axel Caballero, Head of WarnerMedia OneFifty, shared why he believes Drive My Car deserves the awards. “As WarnerMedia’s ‘artist studio where innovation happens,’” Axel told Deadline, “OneFifty has built a track record of identifying incredible artists whose vision we believe in, and acquiring their extraordinary, groundbreaking content. Drive My Car is no exception. It is a beautiful masterpiece – a subtle but haunting work of artistic vision and innovation by a talented filmmaker and creative team.”

The movie will premiere on HBO Max on March 2, 2022. So mark your calendars as Japan makes history.