Hikari (director)

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Hikari
Born
Mitsuyo Miyazaki

Osaka, Japan
OccupationFilmmaker
Years active2011–present

Mitsuyo Miyazaki, better known mononymously as Hikari, is a Japanese filmmaker and former actress. She is best known for writing, directing, and producing the film 37 Seconds (2019), and directing three episodes of the Netflix series Beef (2023). She co-wrote and directed the film Rental Family , starring Brendan Fraser, released in late 2025.

Contents

Early life and education

Hikari was born Mitsuyo Miyazaki in Osaka. [1]

She moved to the United States as an exchange student at the age of 17, [1] and afterwards studied in Utah, graduating with a BSc in Theater Arts, Dance, and Fine Arts from Southern Utah University in 1999. [2]

She moved to Los Angeles upon graduating and worked as an extra and back dancer in various films, commercials, and music videos, as well as a variety of part-time jobs, including photographing local musicians. At the age of 30 she started studying at the University of Southern California's film school, [1] graduating with an MFA in Film and TV Production in 2011. [3]

Career

Hikari's first effort as a filmmaker came when she wrote, directed, and produced the short film Tsuyako (2011), which was shown at more than 100 film festivals around the world, and received 50 awards. [4] She then wrote and directed the short film A Better Tomorrow (2013), which premiered at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival. She followed this by writing, directing, and producing the short film Where We Begin (2015), which premiered at the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival.[ citation needed ]

She wrote, directed, and produced her feature film debut 37 Seconds (2019) to critical acclaim at the 2019 Berlin International Film Festival. [1] [5] [6]

In 2020, author Rainbow Rowell announced on Twitter that the film adaptation of her book Eleanor & Park would be directed by Hikari, though there have been no updates since. [7]

Hikari directed three episodes, including the pilot, of the Netflix comedy-drama series Beef (2023). [8] [9] [10] She co-wrote (with Stephen Blahut) and directed the 2025 comedy-drama film Rental Family (2025), [11] starring Brendan Fraser, Takehiro Hira, and Mari Yamamoto. [12]

Recognition and awards

Hikari was honored with the her alma mater Southern Utah University's Outstanding Alumnus Award in 2015. [13]

Other awards include:

Filmography

Film

YearTitleDirectorWriterProducerNotes
2011TsuyakoYesYesYesShort film
2013A Better TomorrowYesYesNoShort film
2015Where We BeginYesYesYesShort film
2019 37 Seconds YesYesYes
2025 Rental Family YesYesYes

Television

YearTitleDirectorWriterProducerNotes
2022 Tokyo Vice YesNoNo2 episodes
2023 Beef YesNoExecutive3 episodes

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Hikari's "37 Seconds": A Story of Cerebral Palsy and Self-Discovery". nippon.com. February 14, 2020. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Hikari's schedule for 2016 Red Rock Film Festival". 2016rrff.sched.com. Archived from the original on January 22, 2025. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  3. ↑ Iwamoto, Naomi (January 10, 2018). "Alumni Spotlight HIKARI". USC School of Cinematic Arts News. USC. Archived from the original on July 12, 2025. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  4. ↑ "HIKARI". Film Independent. Archived from the original on August 15, 2025. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
  5. ↑ "Hikari | Writer, Director". www.bafta.org. December 7, 2021. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  6. ↑ "37 Seconds - Panorama 2019". www.berlinale.de. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  7. ↑ @rainbowrowell (July 5, 2020). "I am EXTREMELY DELIGHTED -- like, OVER THE MOON -- to announce that @thehikarism will direct the 'Eleanor & Park' film being produced by @picturestart and Plan B Entertainment" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  8. 1 2 "Japanese filmmaker Hikari to direct Netflix dramedy 'Beef'". The Times of India. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  9. ↑ "HIKARI". MUBI. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  10. ↑ White, Peter (March 10, 2022). "'37 Seconds' Director Hikari To Helm Netflix's 'Beef'". Deadline. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  11. ↑ "'Shōgun's Takehiro Hira And Akira Emoto Join Brendan Fraser's 'Rental Family' At Searchlight". Deadline. March 18, 2024. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
  12. ↑ "Rental Family". Adelaide Film Festival. September 30, 2025. Archived from the original on September 30, 2025. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
  13. ↑ "Outstanding Alumnus Award". SUU. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  14. ↑ "DGA Announces Winners of 17th Annual Student Filmmakers Awards". DGA . November 7, 2011. Archived from the original on August 7, 2025. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
  15. ↑ Kilday, Gregg (June 26, 2011). "Palm Springs International Shortfest 2011: 'Bahiya & Mahmoud' Takes Best of Festival Award". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on December 16, 2024. Retrieved October 13, 2025. Mitsuyo Miyazaki's Tsuyako earned the Future Film Maker Award
  16. ↑ Gemünden, Gerd (May 15, 2019). "Dieter Kosslick Takes a Bow: The 69th Berlin Film Festival". Film Criticism. 43 (3). doi:10.3998/fc.13761232.0043.311. hdl: 2027/spo.13761232.0043.311 . ISSN   2471-4364.
  17. ↑ Watlington, Emily (March 12, 2019). "Review: Hikari's '37 Seconds' – Berlinale". Another Gaze: A Feminist Film Journal. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  18. ↑ "Japanese director Hikari's '37 Seconds' wins prizes at Berlin Film Festival". The Japan Times. February 17, 2019. Archived from the original on February 17, 2019. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
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