Ryūsuke Hamaguchi

December 16, 1978

Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan

Ryusuke Hamaguchi is a Japanese film director and screenwriter. Hamaguchi, a graduate of Tokyo University and Tokyo University of Arts, attracted attention in his country with the movie Passion (2008), which he shot for his graduation. Hamaguchi first gained international recognition with the film Happy Hour (2015) and followed it up with Asako I & II (2018). He released two films in 2021, Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy and Drive My Car, receiving three Academy Award nominations for the latter, including Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best International Feature. He is the third Japanese director to be nominated for an Oscar for Best Director.