D. Sho Miyake| 2018 | In Japanese with English Subtitles

Clinging to the end of summer in Hakodate

With a contagious sense of abandon, three young adults’ lives become intimately entangled over the course of a long summer in Hakodate, Hokkaido. Enigmatic Sachiko (Shizuka Ishibashi) forms an ambiguous “no-drama” relationship with her slacker bookstore colleague (the film’s narrator, played by Tasuku Emoto) and meets his unemployed roommate, Shizuo (Shota Sometani).

While wasting away evenings together drinking, burning through their little cash, playing billiards and clubbing ‘til sunrise, a muted magnetism between Sachiko and Shizuo grows. Committing only to living in the moment, the trio drift around Hakodate—knowing, but never mentioning, that summer will eventually end.

Atmospheric and authentic, 31-year-old director Sho Miyake’s second feature film delivers superb performances by Tasuku Emoto (JFF 2018’s Dynamite Graffiti), Shota Sometani (Himizu; Parasyte) and Shizuka Ishibashi (JFF 2017’s Tokyo Night Sky is Always the Densest Shade of Blue).

Watch trailer here