Yuya Ishii

Biography

Ishii was born in Urawa City, Saitama Prefecture on June 21, 1983. He is the second of two brothers and was raised by a single father after his mother succumbed to an illness when he was young.

Personal life

Yuya Ishii won best director at the 2010 Blue Ribbon Awards, and the movie also resulted in his marriage in late 2010 to the lead actress Hikari Mitsushima, a former member of the J-pop group member Folder 5 and actress in such films as Death Note (2006) and Love Exposure (2008). They divorced in 2016.

In June 2018, Ishii shared the news that he had remarried actress Itsuki Sagara, who is twelve years younger than him, and that they were already expecting their first child. A year later in late August 2019, it was announced that his wife had given birth to their first child. His wife has also since retired from acting to focus on their family.

Filmography

Films

Rebel, Jiro's Love (2006)

Girl Sparks (2007)

Of Monster Mode (2007)

Bare-assed Japan (2007)

To Walk Beside You (2009)

Sawako Decides (2010)

Mitsuko Delivers (2011)

Azemichi no dandi (2011)

The Great Passage (2013)

The Vancouver Asahi (2014)

Our Family (2014)

The Tokyo Night Sky Is Always the Densest Shade of Blue (2017)

Almost a Miracle (2019)

All the Things We Never Said (2020)

The Asian Angel (2021)

A Madder Red (2021)

Masked Hearts (2023)

The Moon (2023)

The Real You (2024)

One Last Love Letter (2026)

The Secret Battlefield (2026)

Television

When a Tree Falls (2018)

Simulation: Defeat in the Summer of 1941 (2025)

Awards

Asian Film Awards

2008 - Edward Yang New Talent

2018 - "Best Director" - The Tokyo Night Sky Is Always the Densest Shade of Blue

Blue Ribbon Awards

2011 - "Best Director" - Sawako Decides

Japanese Academy Awards

2013 - "Best Director" - The Great Passage

Mainichi Film Award

2013 - "Best Director" - The Great Passage

Kinema Junpo Award

2013 - "Best Director" - The Great Passage