Masahiro Shinoda was a pioneer in Japanese new wave noirs, and he applies his mastery of mood and character to the yazuka genre in Pale Flower. When a gangster is released from prison, he tries to find his footing in the gambling underworld of his gang when he encounters a wealthy and beautiful thrill seeker who draws him into her web. Together and apart they enter a self-destructive spiral.

Quirky and charming, Hold Me Back feels kind of like Japan’s equivalent of Amelie — perfectly blending the loneliness and hilarity of the human experience into an unforgettable energetic romantic comedy.

Mitsuko (played by Non) is 31, single, and leads a happy life with her own imaginary counselor. When a handsome salesman enters her world… love is throws a wrench in the peaceful and solitary life she’s crafted for herself.

From acclaimed director Ayumu Watanabe (Children of the Sea) comes a heartwarming and moving comedy-drama about an unconventional family, based on the popular novel by Kanako Nishi.
Nikuko is a big and jolly personality in an otherwise sleepy seaside town in northern Japan. Her daughter Kikuko is the opposite — quiet and pensive as she navigates the everyday social dramas of middle school. Everything changes for the mother-daughter duo when a shocking revelation from the past threatens to uproot their tender relationship.