About Yōko Yamanaka
Born 1997. Yōko Yamanaka is a Japanese film director.
is a Japanese filmmaker known for her 2017 film, Amiko, and 2024 film, Desert of Namibia.
Career Yamanaka dropped out of the Nihon University College of Art to create her debut film, Amiko. Amiko subsequently showed at the 2018 Berlin International Film Festival, making Yamanaka the youngest director ever to premiere a film at the Berlin festival at only 20 years old.
Her next feature film, Desert of Namibia, screened at the Directors’ Fortnight at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. She won the FIPRESCI Award at the festival for her work directing the film. At age 27, Yamanaka was the youngest female director to win this award and the sixth Japanese director to win. Her mother is Chinese.
Filmography
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Important facts
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Contemporaries
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Frequently asked questions
Who is Yōko Yamanaka?
Japanese film director
When was Yōko Yamanaka born?
Yōko Yamanaka was born on 1 March 1997 in Nagano Prefecture.
What is Yōko Yamanaka's occupation?
Yōko Yamanaka is a film director.
What nationality is Yōko Yamanaka?
Yōko Yamanaka is Japanese.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Yōko Yamanaka. https://biography.guide/yoko-yamanaka/
MLA: "Yōko Yamanaka." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/yoko-yamanaka/.
Chicago: "Yōko Yamanaka." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/yoko-yamanaka/.
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