Anthony Yano Hays

Anthony makes the kind of comedy that’s hard to pin down, in the best way. Picture offbeat visual gags, a fondness for the delightfully peculiar side of Japanese cinema, and a healthy dose of that weird and wonderful Adult Swim energy, all thrown into the same pot. His humour lives in the surreal and the unexpected: everyday moments that suddenly go sideways, and images that are as striking as they are ridiculous. Yet his films refuse to stay in one lane. He moves fluidly from absurdist wit to sensitive, emotionally resonant storytelling, grounding even his strangest narratives in emotional truth and capturing the nuances of human experience along the way. Splitting his time between Tokyo and LA, Anthony embraces the freedom to shift between contrasting cultures, tones and sensibilities, creating distinctive work that leaves a lasting impression, whatever the feeling. If you like your comedy a bit strange and a lot of fun, you’re in good hands. In 2025, Anthony was named shots Awards Asia Pacific New Director of the Year.
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