North American Premiere
Keiko Tsuruoka’s film is at once traditional and contemporary: it gently mixes present-day gender and sexuality politics with the old-fashioned Japanese domestic drama. Traditional lacquerwork kitchenware is the Aoki family’s legacy, handed down to patriarch Seishiro (Kaoru Kobayashi) by his now-ailing father (Masayuki Suzuki). Seishiro expects to pass it in turn to his son Yu (Ryota Bando), but Yu has no interest in the craft—quite unlike daughter Miyako (Mayu Hotta), who loves it dearly. The stage is set for conflict, as established cultural traditions collide with modern mores…
Tsugaru Lacquer Girl features fine performances from its ensemble cast. As the father, Kobayashi assumes a mask of stern stoicism that melts slowly but surely; another player of note is Toshiya Miyata as Yu’s kindly boyfriend. Hotta, however, is the centre of the film, and her performance as the heroine is at once gentle and luminous. Like the artisans that are his subject, Tsuruoka has crafted a modest but beautiful work; sit back, relax, and let it warm your heart.
October 4 & 6: Q&A with director Keiko Tsuruoka
Supported by
Media Partner
Mayu Hotta, Ryota Bando, Toshiya Miyata, Reiko Kataoka, Kaoru Kobayashi
Japan
2023
Panorama
In Japanese with English subtitles
Book Tickets
Indigenous & Community Access
Indigenous Access Tickets Community Access Tickets Ticket Donation Requests
Credits
Producer
Natsuko Mori, Hitoshi Endo, Tatsuya Matsuoka, Koichiro Fukuoka
Screenwriter
Keiko Tsuruoka, Kensaku Kojima
Cinematography
Wataru Takahashi
Editor
Shinichi Fushima
Production Design
Hinako Kasuga
Original Music
Hiroki Nakano
Director
Keiko Tsuruoka
Born in Nagano Prefecture in 1988, Keiko Tsuruoka began making movies while attending Rikkyo University. Her graduation work, Town of Whales (2012), won the Grand Prize at the 2012 PIA Film Festival and was shown at the Berlin IFF, the Busan IFF and many other film festivals around the world. She directed her second film My First Love (2013), which was presented at the Vancouver International Film Festival.
Filmography: Town of Whales (2012); My First Love (2013); Lingering Memories (2015); Utsuroi no hyohonbako (2016); Makuko (2019)
Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre
The Choral
Yorkshire, 1916. Dr Henry Guthrie (Ralph Fiennes) is entrusted with the role of chorus master — despite his suspicious ties with Germany. As conscription papers arrive, the community is thrown into chaos, but music proves a worthy distraction.
All That's Left of You
Jordan's submission for the Academy Awards, All That's Left of You makes the most of its epic format to chronicle seven decades of Palestinian history while tracking the psychological impact of cycles of exile and oppression on three generations.
Sirât
A desperate father (Sergi Lopez) searchers for his missing daughter through the spiritual wasteland of the Moroccan desert. An unforgettable sensory powerhouse, Sîrat will have you riveted and rattled for hours after the end credits have rolled.
Sun Ra: Do the Impossible
Whether he was a man, a musician, or an emissary from Saturn (as he claimed), Sun Ra was one of the unique visionaries of the 20th century. Christine Turner’s documentary explores the legacy of this iconoclastic who turned his life into a work of art.
The Love That Remains
Anna and Magnús have separated, leaving her to raise their three children as he spends long stretches at sea, working as a fisherman. As the seasons pass, their emotions ebb and flow. A richly conceived story with unexpected delight and humour.