

A winter's tale where family secrets melt slower than snow.
Acting
Ayumi Ishida's Blue Ribbon-winning restraint devastates.
Direction
Kuramoto lets silence do the screaming.

Director
Sō Kuramoto
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Released during Japan's bubble economy, the film's rural family dissolution reflected anxiety about disappearing traditional values.
Ishida reportedly refused to speak to her co-star Watari for three days to maintain their characters' estrangement.