The announcement comes ahead of the film's potential competition slot at this year's Cannes Film Festival. Other strong Japanese Cannes contenders include Kiyoshi Kurosawa's Tokyo Sonata and Ryosuke Hashiguchi's Gururi No Koto.
Based on an original novella written by Kore-eda, the family drama stars Hiroshi Abe (Hero) as the failed son of a doctor who returns home for the anniversary of his elder brother's death. The cast also includes Yui Natsukawa and Kirin Kiki.
Kore-eda's Nobody Knows picked up the Cannes Best Actor prize for 14-year-old Yuya Yagira in 2004 while Distance competed for the Palme d'Or in 2001.
The director's last film, 2006's light samurai drama Hanaproduced by Shochiku, was sold to US distributor Funimation last year.
The production consortium for Even If You Walk And Walkincludes Cine Qua Non, Bandai Visual and regular backer TV Man Union, where Kore-Eda began his career.
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