The film ‘My Sunshine,’ which made headlines for being the youngest Japanese director ever selected for the “Un Certain Regard” section at the 77th Cannes Film Festival in 2024, will have its advance screening starting September 6 and will open nationwide on September 13. Directed, shot, written, and edited by Hiroshi Okuyama—who won the Best New Director Award at the 66th San Sebastián International Film Festival for his commercial debut ‘Jesus’ —’My Sunshine’ is set in a snowy rural town and tells the story of a special time between Takuya (Kei Takashima), a boy with a slight stutter; Sakura (Kira Nakanishi), a girl learning figure skating; and Coach Arakawa (Sosuke Ikematsu), whom Sakura secretly admires and Takuya trusts. The film captures the unique period “from the beginning of the snowfall to the melting of the snow.”
The film has already been featured at festivals worldwide, receiving critical acclaim and winning the Jury Special Award, Audience Award, and Taiwan Directors’ Association Award at the 26th Taipei Film Festival. It has also garnered praise at domestic preview screenings.
Writer Nao Fujiwara, known for crossing genres in film and drama, will review My Sunshine.
This article contains descriptions of the film’s content. Please be advised
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The Sole Friend Who Stays Quietly Close
When I first watched ‘My Sunshine,’ I was completely moved. The lyrics of the theme song, which is also the title of the film, from the representative song ‘My Sunshine’ by Hanbura Hanbura, made me feel as though the film itself, not just the song, was embracing the heart of ‘me’ depicted in the lyrics.”
With overwhelming emotions, my chest feels like it’s going to burst. If you want to cry, just cry, so the song tells me.
Humbert Humbert “My Sunshine”
There is a scene where Takuya, due to his stutter, takes a long time to say “thank you,” and by the time he finishes, the person he wanted to thank is no longer there. For those who have experienced the frustration of not being able to immediately express what they feel inside, or who are currently living with such frustration, this film, which portrays Takuya’s small romance, will undoubtedly become an unforgettable work. Sometimes, movies can save people. They can become the one silent friend who stays close to someone’s lonely heart, just like Arakawa or Takuya’s friend Kosei in this film. I believe this is a rare and exceptional film.
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The World Through the Boy’s Eyes
‘My Sunshine’ begins with the first snowfall. A boy playing baseball suddenly stops and gazes at the flakes falling from the sky. His excitement at seeing the first snow, which flutters through the bright sky, and his intense focus on it, are reminiscent of the gaze of Yura (Yura Sato), the protagonist in Hiroshi Okuyama’s debut film ‘Jesus,’ who watches a small Jesus (Chad Marea) that only he can see. For him, the first snow is as special and unique as the divine presence visible only to Yura. This gaze evokes memories of the audience’s own childhood, when everything was new and wondrous. It draws you into Hiroshi Okuyama’s new story of “me.”
The boy, Takuya, is injured from his less-favored ice hockey and becomes captivated by the graceful skating of a girl named Sakura, who is practicing figure skating. Before long, Takuya finds himself mimicking her movements. Seeing this, Sakura’s coach, Arakawa, starts to train Takuya and eventually proposes that Takuya and Sakura begin practicing ice dance as a pair.
The freshness of the performances by Kei Takashima, making his debut as Takuya, and Kira Nakanishi as Sakura is striking. Additionally, Sosuke Ikematsu, who plays Coach Arakawa, and Tatsuya Wakaba, who portrays Igarashi, Arakawa’s lover, deliver outstanding performances. Ikematsu, known for his compelling portrayal of a complex yet harmonious relationship with the character Umi (Sena Izumi) in the drama “Umi no Hajimari” (Fuji TV), embodies the role of the ideal coach with kindness and nurturing in this film as well.
Moreover, the interactions between Wakaba and Ikematsu, who bring a different ambiance compared to their previous works such as the drama “Unmet: Diary of a Brain Surgeon” (KTV/Fuji TV) and the film ‘Over the Town’ (2020), convey a deeper affection through their few but meaningful words. In the limited scenes, they effectively portray an adult romance that does not pale in comparison to the “straightforward love” of the children, as described by Arakawa.
