Synopsis

Seventeen-year-old Yu lives with her older sister, who is mourning the death of her lover six months earlier. Yu quietly falls for Yosuke, a classmate who strums the same simple guitar phrase near a riverside floodgate. She finds herself humming his melody when she’s alone. Though physically close, they’re unable to cross the emotional distance—neither able to confess their feelings nor say “I love you.” An unexpected accident involving Yu’s sister drives them even further apart. Seventeen years later, Yu and Yosuke, now working in the music industry, cross paths again. Will they finally say the words left unspoken? Director Hiroshi Ishikawa, known for his debut Tokyo.Sora, once again displays his delicate and atmospheric storytelling. As with his first film, the minimal dialogue, lyrical imagery, and understated emotional currents leave a strong impression. The song “Blue Sky,” played throughout the film, beautifully reflects the characters’ emotions, while composer Yoko Kanno’s minimal and elegant score echoes the sentiment: “Without silence, there is no music.”

Director

Hiroshi Ishikawa

Beginning his career in 1990 with TV commercials, Hiroshi Ishikawa became known for his naturalistic visual style and nuanced portrayal of everyday moments—especially those of women’s lives. His feature debut, Tokyo.Sora (2002), depicted the intersecting lives of six young women living in the city and was invited to prestigious festivals including the Locarno and Vienna International Film Festivals. Su-ki-da is his second feature film, in which he served not only as director, but also as screenwriter, editor, and co-producer.