Actor Yuya Yagira (19) is officially back in action with a new starring role. He will co-star with Eriko Sato (27) in the movie "Subete wa Umi ni Naru," which marks the directorial debut of author and screenwriter Akane Yamada.

Last year, Yagira was hospitalized due to a tranquilizer overdose, initially reported as a suicide attempt but later explained as an accident. His last acting role before that was in the 2007 movie "Houtai Club," though he is best known for his performance in Hirokazu Koreeda's "Nobody Knows," which earned him the Best Actor award at Cannes when he was only 14 years old.

In "Subete wa Umi ni Naru," Yagira plays a high school student with a troubled home environment who is also a victim of bullying. Through his love of reading, he builds an invaluable relationship with a bookstore employee (Sato).

The movie is scheduled for release early next year.