Renowned Japanese filmmaker Shinya Tsukamoto is returning to the Lido with his highly anticipated international drama, “Mr. Nelson, Did You Kill People?” The 116-minute feature has been officially selected for the main competition of the 83rd Venice International Film Festival, running from September 2 to September 12, 2026, where it will contend for the festival’s highest honor, the Golden Lion.
“Mr. Nelson, Did You Kill People?“
Marking Tsukamoto’s English-language feature directorial debut, the film is based on the powerful real-life story of Allen Nelson, an African American Marine Corps veteran who served in the Vietnam War. Broadway performer Rodney Hicks stars as Nelson in his first leading film role, portraying the veteran as he navigates debilitating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), homelessness, and psychological torment upon returning home. Oscar winner Geoffrey Rush co-stars as Dr. Daniels, a Veterans Affairs psychiatrist who forms a crucial connection with Nelson and works to guide him toward recovery. The ensemble cast also features Tatyana Ali as Nelson’s wife, Linda, alongside Mark Merphy as the younger Nelson in battlefield flashbacks, and veteran Japanese actor Lily Franky.
Adapted by Tsukamoto from Nelson’s 2003 nonfiction memoir—which later inspired a popular 2005 manga in Japan—the project confronts the severe psychological toll borne by perpetrators of wartime violence. Before his passing in 2009, Nelson delivered more than 1,200 lectures across Japan detailing his wartime experiences and advocating for peace.
Shot on location across the United States, Thailand, Vietnam, and Japan, “Mr. Nelson, Did You Kill People?” serves as a thematic companion to Tsukamoto’s prior war dramas, “Fires on the Plain” (2014) and “Shadow of Fire” (2023). The project also represents Tsukamoto’s latest return to Venice, where his past works—including “Tetsuo: The Bullet Man”, “A Snake of June”, “Kotoko”, and “Killing”—have earned major critical honors.
At the 83rd Venice International Film Festival, “Mr. Nelson, Did You Kill People?” competes in a star-studded main competition lineup alongside international directors. Other Golden Lion contenders include Werner Herzog’s “Bucking Fastard”, Florian Zeller’s “Bunker”, Casey Affleck’s “Company”, Ali Asgari’s “Kami nour”, Andrea Pallaoro’s “The Echo Chamber”, Marco Bechis’s “Ritorno a Buenos Aires”, and Martin McDonagh’s “Wild Horse Nine”.
From Tokyo to Venice
The 83rd Venice International Film Festival will run from September 2-12, 2026 in Venice, Italy. Born in Tokyo, Japan, Tsukamoto will turn 67 on January 1, 2027.
While separated by culture and geography, Tokyo and Venice remain united by their reliance on water, transforming a shared environmental challenge into a canvas for creative exchange.
Before Tokyo became a world capital of glass and steel, it was Edo—a marshy city engineered around an extensive canal system. Much like Venice’s famous lagoon, Edo relied on waterways for commerce, defense, and daily transportation. This historical kinship sparked Tokyo’s enduring fascination with Venetian charm. Today, visitors can glide on authentic gondolas through recreated canals in Odaiba and Tokyo DisneySea, showcasing Japan’s affection for Venice’s romantic heritage.
The connection runs deeper than visual homage. Both cities face the ongoing challenge of existing alongside water, confronting threats from rising tides and land subsidence. Architects and urban planning scholars from Tokyo and Venice frequently collaborate at events like the Venice Architecture Biennale, swapping insights on flood barriers, historic preservation, and water-resilient architecture.
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