BEST OF FESTS

BOKU NO OSIHAMA

2024 / 90 min / color

Premiering in Un Certain Regard at the most recent Cannes Film Festival, Hiroshi Okuyama’s film takes place in wintertime on a small Japanese island. It’s a season dominated by ice hockey, which young Takuya is not particularly thrilled about. His attention is focused on a girl named Sakura, a talented figure skater. She trains under former champion Arakawa, who, quite unexpectedly, recognises Takuya’s potential, or perhaps is reminded of his younger self, and decides to give him a chance. Arakawa pairs Takuya with Sakura for the upcoming competition, and a bond starts to form between the shy boy and the confident girl, sparking emotions that are hard for them to identify at their young age. This delicate, nuanced story is reminiscent of the films of Hirokazu Kore-eda, the great master of Japanese film. It should be mentioned that Okuyama, a rising star of contemporary Japanese cinema, is not only the director of My Sunshine, but also its screenwriter, cinematographer, and editor.

• Taipei FF – Grand Prize, Special Jury Prize, Audience Choice Award