The story begins with a little boy named Syui, a cheerful child who is focussed on going to a museum with his father. Unbeknownst to him, when he returns home, his mother and sister will be gone as his parents have decided to separate. We get a glimpse of what happens to Syui and his family during this period. In his latest film, FUJIKAWA Fumito (The Name of the Whale (2015), winner of the Audience Award at the 2015 Pia Film Festival) presents a dramamentary shot in the suburbs of Tokyo with a real-life family of four acting out the split. With no script to work from and naturalistic performances from the Hirabuki family based on their everyday lives, FUJIKAWA and his non-professional cast give us an honest snapshot of contemporary city life in Japan in a light but absorbing experience.
A novelist Rihito Shiraishi meets Saki Honda, a somewhat eccentric woman, and he is attracted to her. Triggered by Saki's suicidal attempt and reading her diary, Shiraishi recognizes that their encounter was not a coincidence. United by an airplane accident, they start to face their true selves eventually, influencing one another.
Taisuke, Issei and Yumi are on their way to visit Yumi’s older sister, Rie, her husband and their daughter Masumi in their flat in Tokyo. It is the obon holiday in August, when families traditionally get together to honor their ancestors.
Miyoshi City, Hiroshima Prefecture. The junior high school boy with a zeal for finding fossils discovers the history of his hometown and experiences the changes around him. This is an ambitious work that depicts the land and time by blending various drama and documentary footage.
Koike's Subordinate
敬虔なクリスチャンの家庭に育ったユウは、ある出来事を境に神父の父に懺悔を強要され始める。父の期待に応えようと、懺悔のために毎日罪作りに励むうちに罪作りはエスカレートし、いつしかユウは女性ばかり狙う盗撮魔となっていた。そんなある日、運命の女ヨーコと出会い、生まれて初めて恋に落ちるが……。
