Kanao, a courtroom portrait artist, observes crimes, scandals and the decline of Japanese values without passing judgement. As he and his wife endure the tragedy of their first child’s death, hope slowly unfolds and their love story flickers to life once again.
Acting
Lily Franky's face does what dialogue refuses to.
Direction
Hashiguchi lets scenes breathe until they hurt.
Editing
The courtroom and bedroom bleed into each other imperceptibly.
Director
Ryosuke Hashiguchi
Lily Franky
Kanao Satou
Tae Kimura
Shouko Satou
Akira Emoto
kunimasa Yasuda
Susumu Terajima
Katsutoshi Yoshida
Tamae Ando
Masako Yoshida
Ken Mitsuishi
lawyer
Ryo Kase
Tsuyoshi Tanaka
Seiichi Tanabe
The Chief Justice
Mitsuko Baisho
Namiko Yoshida
Yuichi Kimura
Natsume Senpai
Rie Minemura
Keiko Ubukata
Yoichi Nukumizu
Hiroto Wakui
Norito Yashima
Minori Terada
Yousuke Saito
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Hashiguchi spent years in actual courtrooms sketching; the film's documentary-like detachment comes from genuine observation.
The film quietly critiques Japan's 'gaman' culture of endurance—Kanao and Shouko's silence isn't strength, it's a shared wound.
JP
