Love on Trial
| Love on Trial | |||||
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| Japanese name | |||||
| Kana | 恋愛裁判 | ||||
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| Directed by | Koji Fukada | ||||
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| Starring | |||||
| Cinematography | Hidetoshi Shinomiya | ||||
| Edited by | Sylvie Lager | ||||
| Music by | Takaaki Yamamoto | ||||
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Running time | 124 minutes | ||||
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| Language | Japanese | ||||
Love on Trial (Japanese: 恋愛裁判, Hepburn: Ren'ai Saiban) is a 2025 romance drama film written and directed by Koji Fukada. Starring Kyōko Saitō, Erika Karata, and Kenjiro Tsuda, it follows a J-pop idol who finds herself sued by her agency for breaking the "no-relationship" clause in her contract.
The film had its world premiere at the Cannes Premiere section of the 78th Cannes Film Festival on 22 May 2025. It will be theatrically released in Japan on 26 January 2026 by Toho.
Plot
Mai Yamaoka, a rising J-Pop idol whose ascent is derailed when she falls in love, violating her contract's "no relationship" clause. After her romance is exposed, Mai finds herself not only vilified by her fanbase but also facing a real-life courtroom battle, as her agency sues her for damages.
Cast
- Kyōko Saitō as Mai Yamaoka
- Erika Karata as Saya Yabuki
- Kenjiro Tsuda as Koichi Yoshida
- Yuuna Nakamura as Nanaka Shimizu
- Yuki Kura as Takashi Mayama
- Sakura Hinako as Himena Tsujimoto
Release
Love on Trial had its World Premiere at the 78th Cannes Film Festival on 22 May 2025, and competed for Cannes Premiere.[1][2]
The film will be screened in the 'A Window on Asian Cinema' section of the 30th Busan International Film Festival on September 19, 2025.[3] On October 28, 2025, the film was showcased at the 38th Tokyo International Film Festival in 'Gala Selection' section.[4]
It will be released on January 26, 2026 in Japanese theatres by Toho.[5][6]
Reception
Jessica Kiang of Variety described the film as "a murmured critique of Japanese celebrity culture".[7] Josh Slater-Williams of IndieWire praised Saito's performance as "brings in a few performance details that are palpably drawn from a place of personal resonance".[8]
References
- ^ "The films of the Official Selection 2025". Festival de Cannes. April 10, 2025. Retrieved September 21, 2025.
- ^ Ramachandran, Naman (May 12, 2025). "Koji Fukada Talks J-Pop Industry's 'No-Dating' Clauses in Cannes Premiere Title 'Love on Trial,' First Clip Unveiled (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved September 21, 2025.
- ^ Ramachandran, Naman (26 August 2025). "Shu Qi's 'Girl' and 'Resurrection' Among Competition Titles as Busan Film Festival Unveils Lineup for 30th Edition". Variety. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
- ^ Rosser, Michael (18 September 2025). "'Hamnet' to close Tokyo film festival as gala, animation line-ups revealed". Screen Daily. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
- ^ Brzeski, Patrick (May 14, 2025). "Cannes Hidden Gem: Koji Fukada's 'Love on Trial' Probes the Dark Heart of Japan's Idol Industry". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 21, 2025.
- ^ "齊藤京子が主演する映画「恋愛裁判」公開日決定、倉悠貴写す新場面カット到着" [Release date announced for Kyoko Saito's film "Love on Trial," new stills featuring Yuki Kura released]. Natalie (in Japanese). 2025-07-11. Retrieved September 21, 2025.
- ^ Kiang, Jessica (May 28, 2025). "'Love on Trial' Review: Koji Fukada Mounts a Low-Impact Defense of a J-Pop Fallen Idol". Variety. Retrieved September 21, 2025.
- ^ Slater-Williams, Josh (May 22, 2025). "'Love on Trial' Review: Koji Fukada Explores Injustice in the World of J-Pop". IndieWire. Retrieved September 21, 2025.