Nagi Notes

Yuri, a divorced architect, travels to the rural village of Nagi to visit her former sister-in-law Yoriko, a sculptor. When Yuri agrees to pose for her, the sessions in Yoriko’s studio bring about more than expected. As Yoriko works on her sculpture, memories surface and candid conversations arise about what lies behind them and what still stands between them. Meanwhile, Keita and Haruki, two boys who attend Yoriko’s art classes, try to understand what connects the women – in an unconscious attempt to better understand themselves and each other. Nagi Notes, by Cannes award winner Koji Fukada, is a subtle and moving film about friendship, art, memory and the search for a place within the social codes of Japanese society. With his characteristic eye for small gestures and unspoken emotions, Fukada manages to expose the underlying tensions of daily life.