Nostalgic Narratives

In Kagoshima, the boy Koichi lives with his mother Nozomi in the house of his grandparents. Koichi misses his younger brother Ryunosuke and his father Kenji, who live in Fukuoka, and he dreams of his family coming together again. One day, Koichi overhears that the energy released by two bullet trains passing by each other would grant wishes and he invites his two best friends, Tasuku and Makoto, to travel to the point of intersection of the two trains. Koichi also tells his plan to Ryunosuke that invites his three best friends to join him. Soon the seven children arrive to the meeting point in the journey of discoveries.

The story of Ro Gi Soo, a tap dancing North Korean soldier who was held captive in the Geoje prison camp during the Korean War.

A young woman, after failing in an exam, comes back to her traditional village in Korea from the city. When she comes back, her mother has already eloped with someone; so, she has no other way but to stay alone in the house. Her two friends accompany her to make her feel comfortable. She makes uses of her mother's garden, which is called as LITTLE FOREST. She then uncovers her mother's secret of cooking and she starts living there during all the seasons of the year while harvesting the Little Forest.

Would you choose your natural son, or the son you believed was yours after spending 6 years together? Kore-eda Hirokazu, the globally acclaimed director of "Nobody Knows", "Still Walking" and "I Wish", returns to the big screen with another family - a family thrown into torment after a phone call from the hospital where the son was born... Ryota has earned everything he has by his hard work, and believes nothing can stop him from pursuing his perfect life as a winner. Then one day, he and his wife, Midori, get an unexpected phone call from the hospital. Their 6-year-old son, Keita, is not 'their' son - the hospital gave them the wrong baby. Ryota is forced to make a life-changing decision, to choose between 'nature' and 'nurture.' Seeing Midori's devotion to Keita even after learning his origin, and communicating with the rough yet caring family that has raised his natural son for the last six years, Ryota also starts to question himself: has he really been a 'father' all these years...

Daigo, a dedicated cellist facing the loss of his job, returns to his hometown with his wife in search of a new beginning. By answering a misleading advertisement called "Departures," Daigo becomes a Nokanshi, the body preparer for his final journey. While others despise this work, Daigo discovers a unique pride in it: a compassionate bridge between life and death. A poignant and at times humorous exploration of mortality, the joys and deep meanings inherent in life and existence.

The Yamadas are a typical middle class Japanese family in urban Tokyo and this film shows us a variety of episodes of their lives. With tales that range from the humourous to the heartbreaking, we see this family cope with life's little conflicts, problems and joys in their own way.

Three sisters live together in their late grandmother's house in the city of Kamakura. They have lived together since their dad left home for another woman and their mum imitated her husband by running off with another man. Sachi, 29, the oldest Koda sister, a nurse at the local hospital, acts as a substitute mother to Yoshino, 22, and Chika, 19. One day, the threesome learns of the death of their "traitor" father and it is only halfheartedly that they go to his funeral. But in Yamagata something unexpected happens: they meet their half-sister Suzu, 13, there and immediately fall for the spell of this exquisite young creature. Sensing that Yoko, her father's widow, will not be a fit guardian, Sachi invites Suzu to move in with them.

Where are we welcome? On a quiet street in Helsinki, Sachie has opened a diner featuring rice balls. For a month she has no customers. Then, in short order, she has her first customer, meets Midori, a gangly Japanese tourist, and invites her to stay with her, and meets Masako, a formal and ethereal middle-aged woman whose luggage has gone missing. The three women work in the diner, interact, and serve customers. A somewhat brusque man teaches Sachie to make delicious coffee, then he returns under other circumstances. Three neighborhood women inspect the empty diner every day; will anything bring them inside? We learn why Sachie serves rice balls; but why Finland?

Still Walking is a family drama about grown children visiting their elderly parents, which unfolds over one summer day. The aging parents have lived in the family home for decades. Their son and daughter return for a rare family reunion, bringing their own families with them. They have gathered to commemorate the tragic death of the eldest son, who drowned in an accident fifteen years ago. Although the roomy house is as comforting and unchanging as the mother's homemade feast, everyone in the family has subtly changed.

Following the death of the unmarried and childless Taki, Takeshi, a young relative of hers, discovers several pages of closely written lines in which the old lady has recorded her memories. This is how he learns the truth about her youth working as a housemaid and nanny for the Hirai family in a little house in Tokyo with a red gabled roof.

This heartwarming comedy by director Yasujiro Ozu portrays two young boys who go mute in protest when their parents deny them a television. Through their innocent perspective, the film humorously critiques postwar Japanese consumerism. Ozu's skillful direction captures everyday life and family dynamics, offering a delightful and thought-provoking cinematic experience that blends humor with profound insights on generational relationships and society's influence on our lives.

Kanji Watanabe is a civil servant. He has worked in the same department for 30 years. His life is boring and monotonous, though he once used to have passion and drive. Then one day he discovers that he has stomach cancer and less than a year to live. After the initial depression he sets about living for the first time in over 20 years. Then he realises that his limited time left is not just for living life to the fullest, but to leave something meaningful behind.

A Tokyo high-society woman's arranged marriage to a quiet rural man faces a crisis, testing their bond and challenging their union. The film, directed by Yasujirō Ozu, dives into their journey, exploring the clash between social backgrounds and personal expectations. The cast features experienced actors, joining newcomers in a narrative that intertwines emotions and delves into the complexities of modern relationships, all within the context of societal norms and personal desires.

In a heartfelt narrative directed by Yazujiro Ozu, the movie tells the story of Noriko, content with her father Shukichi until pressure arises from her aunt Masa to arrange a marriage for her. Shukichi faces a moral dilemma, torn between his daughter's happiness and societal expectations, showcasing the sacrifice of a father for his daughter's future, evoking the intricate conflict between tradition and individual desires within familial dynamics.

An old married couple Shukichi Hirayama and Tomiko live on a small island in the Inland Sea. They go to Tokyo. The couple have 3 children. The eldest son Koichi runs a hospital. The first daughter Shigeko runs a beauty salon. The second son Shuji works in stage art. The families ask the parents to take a rest in Tokyo, but the parents do not like staying in Tokyo. One day, Tomiko visits Shuji's apartment. There, Tomiko is introduced to Shuji's fiancé Noriko, but Tomiko collapses at Koichi's house.