Oscars: Japan Selects 'Her Love Boils Bathwater' for Foreign-Language Category

Written and directed by Ryota Nakano, the film won best actress and supporting actress at the Japan Academy awards but lost to 'Godzilla Resurgence' for best picture.

Japan's entry for the foreign-language category at the Oscars is Ryota Nakano's Her Love Boils Bathwater (Yu o Wakasu Hodo no Atsui Ai).

Written and directed by Nakano, it tells the story of a mother who decides to resolve all her family's problems after she is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Rie Miyazawa won the Japan Academy Prize for best actress for her performance, while Hana Sugsaki won best supporting actress for her portrayal of Miyazawa's daughter. The film lost out to Godzilla Resurgence for best picture.

Japan first won the foreign-language Oscar in 1951 with Akira Kurosawa's Rashomon and last won in 2008 with Yojiro Takita's Departures. Japan has won four times and has been nominated 62 times, putting it joint second with Italy in terms of total nominations, behind France with 63.