Amiko isn’t like other children. Her endless energy and curious eccentricities make her an outcast at school and get her in trouble at home. When a painful family loss disrupts her seemingly idyllic seaside life, her sense of isolation intensifies, yet it doesn’t stop Amiko from inviting people into her world.
Morii Yusuke’s directorial debut is a confident and compassionate story about a child’s imagination. The film balances sorrow with joy and harsh lessons with naive delight – much like growing up. Crucially, Amiko never forgets who is at the centre of the story. The wry humour and detailed compositions of small-town Japan, as well as the film’s hopeful tenor, are reminiscent of Ogigami Naoko or Hirokazu Kore-eda’s works. The gentle and languorous atmosphere is enriched by a score from upcoming folk star Ichiko Aoba.
Kana Osawa delivers an exquisite, force-of-nature performance as young Amiko. Effortlessly natural, her commanding presence and vitality carry great weight whilst ensuring the film never falls into despair. Amiko’s unbeaten spirit in the face of tired adults and uncooperative classmates lets us go through the pain, as well as experience flashes of mischievous whimsy, alongside a spiriting musical sequence that will ensure you’ll never listen to a conga drum the same way.
伊藤万理华
小关裕太,上原剛史,加藤紗希,伊藤慶徳,梅田诚弘,大塚ヒロタ,礒部泰宏
韦尔·普莱斯,杰瑞德·哈里斯,尼古拉斯·汉密尔顿,杰米·哈里斯,托拜厄斯·西格尔,马丁·贾维斯,斯科蒂·迪贾科莫,埃莉斯·哈德森,乔纳斯·戴维斯,Ava Wrubel,Shannon Destiny Ryan,Searra Sawka,Sasha Bhasin,Phillip Chorba,Kathy Patterson,Lauren LoGiudice,Cole Flanders,科尔·特里斯坦·墨菲,Carol Florence,Matt R Stover
小日向文世,户田惠子,高桥海人,樱井由纪,山田杏奈,江成一树,江原由希子,岩崎加根子,木村绿子,角野卓造,井上顺,村田雄浩,三田佳子
Illarion Marov,马克·埃德尔斯坦,Svetlana Vyrypaeva
冈山天音,森优理斗,村川绘梨,中村织央,欢迎小田,ゆうちゃみ,渡部润一,星耕介,関修斗,片冈礼子