Genki Kawamura was born in Yokohama, Japan in 1979. In 2012, he published his first novel, If Cats Disappeared from the World, which has been translated into 35 languages and sold over 3 million copies worldwide. His other books include One Hundred Flowers, The Horse and I, and Whispering Rooms, co-authored with Marie Kondo. In 2022, Kawamura became the first Japanese filmmaker to receive the Best Director Award at the San Sebastián International Film Festival. In 2025, his second feature film Exit 8, inspired by a cult video game, was chosen as an Official Selection at the 78th Cannes Film Festival.
