Issue:
. . . on Thursday, Aug. 17 at 7pm for Chigasaki Story, an effervescent comedy of manners. After premiering at the 2014 Singapore International Film Festival, and being acclaimed at festivals in Rotterdam, Beijing and Helsinki, first-time filmmaker Takuya Misawa’s film finally hits Tokyo theaters just in time to cure our late-summer blahs. This remarkable debut is set in the 115-year-old Chigasaki Inn near Shonan Beach – the actual retreat where Yasujiro Ozu wrote some of his greatest works, including Late Spring, Early Summer and the masterpiece Tokyo Story – and it pays tribute to the master in its visual homages, its deceptively simple narrative and its bouncy score (which also recalls Woody Allen). Misawa’s tale is infused with light, bright sentiments and melodrama, anchored by a charming young cast led by indie queen Kiki Sugino (who also executive produced). It’s not often that a first feature feels like a mid-career high mark, and we can’t wait to see what Misawa directs next.
(Japan/Thailand, 2014; 89 minutes; Japanese with English subtitles.)
