Plays Thursday, April 30 at 7:30 PM at the Michigan!Cinematographer: Yutaka Yamazaki
Inspired by a real-life incident of child abandonment, this piercing family drama is a testament to the everyday resilience of four young siblings left to survive on their own in a Tokyo apartment. When young single mother Keiko (You) leaves home to pursue a mysterious job and a new romance, 12-year-old Akira (Yuya Yagira) must look after his younger sisters and brother, keeping the household together as money dwindles and months pass without word. With wrenching clarity and unvarnished lyricism, Hirokazu Kore-eda (Shoplifters) captures the precarious balancing act of hope and vigilance that sustains children forced to grow up much too quickly.