From Hiroshi Okuyama, a rising star in Japanese cinema, this beautifully crafted film follows adolescent figure skaters as they navigate budding emotions. It evokes the nuanced storytelling of master director Kore-eda Hirokazu.
Following his auspicious 2018 debut, Jesus, Hiroshi Okuyama’s latest feature, My Sunshine, is a beautifully crafted tale centred on two adolescent figure skaters who swirl through budding emotions and never-before-experienced motions of the soul with the same grace and trepidation that characterize their movements on the ice. This touching and simple story, set on a small Japanese island, follows young hockey player Takuya (Keitatsu Koshiyama), proficient skater Sakura (Kiara Nakanishi), figure-skating tutor Arakawa (Sōsuke Ikematsu), and his boyfriend (Ryûya Wakaba).
Takuya, a shy boy with a stutter, doesn’t feel at ease playing hockey with his schoolmates but is completely taken by Sakura’s graceful figure skating and decides to start following her coach, former champion Arakawa, just to be near her. As the story unfolds against cold and beautiful winter sceneries, it strays away from typical sports movie clichés and focusses on the bond of friendship that forms between its three protagonists. Capturing interpersonal dynamics and the subtle sensitivities typical of adolescence with insight and empathy, the film often recalls the cinema of Kore-eda Hirokazu and establishes Okuyama as a rising talent in Japanese cinema.
As director, writer, cinematographer, and editor, Okuyama delivers a work of simple elegance. His exquisite and rigorous aesthetic sense is applied with precision to the composition of each frame, rendering the snowy landscapes and indoor ice rinks with a delicate and ethereal beauty, much like his narrative.
A testament to Okuyama’s evolving artistic voice, My Sunshine underscores the relevance of quiet, introspective storytelling.
GIOVANNA FULVI
Screenings
Scotiabank 8
Scotiabank 3
Scotiabank 4
Scotiabank 5