The beauty of Harbor Lights lies in its ability to invite the spectator to think through the dynamic of inter-generational trauma – the dimension of loss – and the destabilizing effect of (structural) discrimination long after the credits have faded.
Tag: Mariko Ito
A Bad Summer (2025) review [Japannual 2025]
Hideo Jojo offers a compelling exploration of poverty within the Japanese societal field as well as the the structural possibility of exploiting the welfare system for one’s own gain.
Cha-Cha (2025) review [Nippon Connection 2025]
Mai Sakai light-heartedly perforates the fantasy of writability of The sexual relation and cheekily confronts the spectator with the radical misrecognition that structures the field of romance.
I Am What I Am (2022) review [Nippon Connection 2023]
Toko Miura, with her layered performance, gives the emotional struggle of her character its genuine flavour.
It’s a summer film (2021) review [Camera Japan Festival]
“A highly entertaining film that offers a nostalgic and touching dive into youthful passion and romantic feelings and lighthearted celebration of indie-filmmaking and often-forgotten beauty of post-war period films.”
psychocinema 