
Our Little Sister
Wednesday, March 18 - Thursday, March 19, 2020
“OUR LITTLE SISTER doesn’t have much of a traditional plot. Rather, the film breaks down into a series of vignettes about older sister Sachi (Haruka Ayase), and her siblings. That may sound deadly dull, but what’s most surprising about Kore-eda’s approach is how easy it is to get into a film where not a lot happens. Still, if you’re looking for a traditional narrative, be forewarned: several of the most eventful plot points take place during the first 15 minutes. Sachi and her sisters live together in the seaside village of Kamakura. When their father dies, they meet stepsister Suzu (Suzu Hirose) at the funeral service. “Sachi intuitively guesses that Suzu needs a change of scene, based on the selfish behavior of Suzu’s mother. So they offer to take Suzu with them in a quietly affecting scene that evokes the bittersweet feeling you get when you part with loved ones, despite knowing you’ll be together again very soon. Here’s where the influence of master dramatist Yasujiro Ozu (Tokyo Story, Late Spring) is most apparent. Like Ozu, Kore-eda focuses on simple moments of heartbreaking melancholy and swoon-worthy happiness. So if you look at the scene where Sachi and her sisters invite Suzu to live with them, you’ll immediately notice how spare, and deceptively uncomplicated the scene is. Screening as part of our retrospective Family Portraits: The Films of Hirokazu Kore-eda, from Mar 12 – 19, 2020. Discounted ticket packs available in 3-packs ($36 for general, $27 for IFC Center Members) and 5-packs ($60 for general, $45 for IFC Center Members) here.
- Country Japan
- Language In Japanese with English subtitles.
- Year 2015
- Accessibility Assistive Listening, T-Coil
- Running Time 127 minutes
- Director Hirokazu Kore-eda
- Writer Akimi Yoshida (manga), Hirokazu Kore-eda (screenplay)