A Pale View of Hills

Director: Kei Ishikawa

Screenplay by Kei Ishikawa, Kazuo Ishiguro
Cast: Suzu Hirose, Fumi Nikaidô, Yoh Yoshida, Camilla Aiko, Tomokazu Miura

In 1982, UK. An aspiring Japanese-British writer plans to write a book based on her mother Etsuko’s post-war experiences in Nagasaki. Etsuko, haunted by the suicide of her older daughter, begins to recount her memories from 1952 as a young mother-to-be. Her story begins with her encounter with Sachiko, who was full of hope about starting a new life abroad, and her young daughter Mariko, who constantly spoke of an eerie woman. The writer finds something at odds as she confronts the mementoes of her mother’s Nagasaki years, as well as the memories Etsuko shares with her.

Awards: Cannes Film Festival 2025 Nominee Un Certain Regard Award