This film is created with the hope that the original author’s belief that “people come before countries” will serve as a bridge that transcends nationality and borders.

Although the story centers on a Korean-Japanese protagonist, we found it deeply meaningful that a work exploring the themes of “nationality” and “borders” was selected for the Moscow International Film Festival during wartime, as it gave us a strong sense of the significance of presenting this work to the world. Above all, it reaffirmed our belief that art transcends national boundaries.

This film, inspired by the author’s belief that “people come before countries” is intended to serve as a catalyst for transcending nationality and borders arising from conflicts around the world, and we sincerely hope that it can contribute, even if only step by step, to a more peaceful world.

LEONIDAS is a film that portrays the encounters, farewells, and determination for the future of young people striving to live with a borderless mindset in Japan’s Reiwa era, a time in which social values are rapidly transforming. The story depicts a determination toward a more borderless future through the meeting between Hiro, a Korean resident of Japan, and Aoi, the lonely daughter of a wealthy and influential family. Although Japan is becoming increasingly diverse in terms of race and ethnicity, significant gaps in awareness and understanding still exist between generations and across different educational backgrounds. Every person is born with their own unique identity. Differences in nationality, wealth, and social circumstances mean that people may not begin life on equal footing. However, contemporary society is evolving into one in which individuality itself can become a source of strength. Through this film, I hope to convey the message that by confronting the identities we are born with, we can learn to accept and love ourselves. It is my sincere hope that this way of thinking will continue to spread throughout society through this work and become one of the values that shapes the future.