Akashi

Kana, a Japanese artist living in Vancouver, returns to Tokyo after ten years away to attend her grandmother’s funeral. Surrounded by her family, she feels both welcomed and strangely out of place, while the contrast between her life abroad and the expectations placed upon her becomes increasingly difficult to ignore. Her artistic ambitions remain uncertain, and news of yet another rejected grant application forces her to question the direction her life has taken. Over the course of the week, Kana unexpectedly runs into Hiro, her former boyfriend, who once planned to leave Japan with her. Their reunion rekindles an unresolved longing, but also reminds Kana of the different choices they made back then. At the same time, memories of her grandparents lead her to a long-hidden family secret: for decades, her grandfather had been in love with another woman, despite entering into an arranged marriage with Kana’s grandmother. As Kana searches for the truth, the past casts new light on the compromises and silent losses that have shaped her family.