Li is a Korean screenwriter for film and television, struggling to connect to her surroundings in Japan, where she’s based. Experiencing a writer’s block, she’s trying to regain her foothold with a story of loneliness shared by two random strangers. In summer, Nagisa and Natsuo meet by the sea, exchanging awkward words. We get the impression that they seek to drown out their anguish in the dying summer heat, gusts of wind, and the roar of the ocean. In winter, screenwriter Li visits a snow-covered village, finding a guesthouse run by Benzo. Carrying a memento from her mentor, she embarks on a journey that blurs reality and memory.
“Go travel and make films, break out of the routine, see the world as if you were a stranger. Words guide us but dull our senses. Through image and motion, we encounter others and ourselves. Wake to a world unnamed, still filled with awe.” (Sho Miyake)
Sho Miyake
Born in 1984, in Hokkaido, Japan. Considered to be one of the finest, most soulful Japanese filmmakers of his generation, Sho Miyake is known for his distinctive style that explores themes of character and memory. After graduating from Hitotsubashi University and completing fiction studies at the Film School of Tokyo, his work has been featured at major international film festivals.