Naomi Kawase

Naomi Kawase
河瀨直美
Naomi Kawase at the 78th Locarno Film Festival in 2025
Born (1969-05-30) 30 May 1969
Nara, Japan
Other namesNaomi Sento
OccupationFilmmaker
Years active1992–present
Spouse
Takenori Sento
(m. 1997; div. 2000)

Naomi Kawase (pronunciation; Japanese: 河瀨直美, romanizedKawase Naomi; born 30 May 1969) is a Japanese film director. She was also briefly known as Naomi Sento (仙頭直美, Sentō Naomi), with her former husband's surname. Many of her works have been documentaries, including Embracing, about her search for the father who abandoned her as a child, and Katatsumori, about the grandmother who raised her.