Our Little Sister
Three sisters named Sachi, Yoshino, and Chika live in the city of Kamakura, where they share a large, typical house "with a soul." One day, they receive word that their father-a man they have not had any contact with in 15 years-has passed away. They go to the funeral, where they meet their half-sister, a teenager named Suzu. Deciding to look after the orphaned girl, they take her back to Kamakura. Our Little Sister is an adaptation of Akimi Yoshida's best-selling graphic novel Umimachi Diary. Hirokazu Koreeda-critics have compared his work to that of Yasujirō Ozu-again includes references to the esthetics of classical Japanese cinema. The story of the four sisters is unhurried, coming to the surface through subtleties and nuances, while the relationships among the four protagonists are developed with great precision and care. The director is celebrating the notion of a simple, ordinary life in a poetic and elegant way while, at the same time, making a film that is deep, natural, and realistic.
Hirokazu Koreeda
Hirokazu Kore-eda was born in 1962 in Tokyo, where he graduated in 1987 from Waseda University. He then joined the TV Man Union, where he produced a few documentary films, which were all awarded at international festivals. His film debut came in 1995 with Maboroshi no hikari, based on a story by Miyamoto Teru, which premiered as part of the main competition of the Venice festival. Like Father, Like Son is the fourth work by this creator to be presented at the Cannes Film Festival. In addition to direction, Kore-eda also produces and supports promising Japanese filmmakers of the young generation.
Selected filmography
2001 Distance
2004 Nikt nie wie / Dare mo shiranai / Nobody Knows
2008 Ciągle na chodzie / Aruitemo Aruitemo / Still Walking
2009 Dmuchana lala / Kuuku Ningyo / Air Doll
2013 Jak ojciec i syn / Soshite chichi ni naru / Like Father, Like Son