Directed by Naomi Kawase • 2014 • Japan, France
Starring Nijiro Murakami, Junko Abe, Miyuki Matsuda
On the subtropical Japanese island of Amami, strong traditions surround nature. During the full-moon night of traditional dances in August, sixteen-year-old Kaito (Nijiro Murakami) discovers a dead body floating in the sea. His girlfriend Kyoko (Junko Abe), attempts to help him understand this mysterious discovery. Together, Kaito and Kyoko will learn to become adults by experiencing the interwoven cycles of life, death, and love. Naomi Kawase’s meditative coming-of-age tale is a richly sensorial experience alive to the mystic dimensions of the natural world.