Two strangers, zero shared words, 16 minutes to break your heart.
Joshua, a young foreigner traveling in Japan. Yamagishi, an elderly man in a car. The two are heading to their own destinations. When the two meet, despite not being able to speak the same language, their hearts begin to move. This is a work that explores the importance of being able to communicate without words, beyond the barriers of age and nationality.
Acting
Ken Nakamoto's weathered face speaks entire monologues.
Cinematography
Japan's empty roads become a third character.
Direction
Abe trusts silence more than most trust dialogue.
Director
Shinnosuke Abe
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Director Abe shot this during peak pandemic isolation, explaining its obsession with wordless connection.
The film has no subtitles for the Japanese dialogue — forcing audiences to experience Joshua's disorientation firsthand.
JP
