Wednesday January 9th 2019

Japan   2015   125 minutes
Director: Hirokazu Koreeda
Starring: Haruka Ayase, Masami Nagasawa, Karo

This has been called a ‘very Japanese film’. To an Occidental audience it may appear slow: its pleasure comes from the calm observation of the small details of everyday family life in a different culture (including its cuisine). Sachi (29), Yoshino (22) and Chika (19) have been living with their grandmother in the rural town of Kamakura since their father deserted the family some years before, and their mother- unable to cope- effectively abandoned them. Then some years later they learn of their father’s death. With mixed feelings and some reluctance they decide to go to his funeral. There they discover, to their surprise, that they have a young half-sister, Suzu, 13 years old.