Photo/Illutration Director Satoko Yokohama, center, attends an awards ceremony at the Berlin International Film Festival with producer Daisuke Wada, left. (Atsushi Ohara)

BERLIN—Director Satoko Yokohama’s artistic, dreamlike children’s film “Umibe e Iku Michi” (Seaside Serendipity”) received a Special Mention prize at the recent 75th Berlin International Film Festival.

Her film was selected for recognition in the festival’s “Generation KPlus” category, which features movies for and about children, on Feb. 22. 

Moreover, it captured the attention of the toughest critics of all—a large audience of young viewers—despite its unusual 2-hour-and-20-minute running time.

“I was overjoyed to see so many children watch it until the very end,” said Yokohama. “It’s a long, noncommercial, auteur film, so I couldn’t have hoped for higher praise when I joined the festival.”

Set in an idyllic seaside town, “Seaside Serendipity” is based on a manga of the same name by Gin Miyoshi.

The story centers around Sosuke, an innocent junior high school student and art club member, who devotes himself to art while surrounded by eccentric adults.

When an audience member asked Yokohama about the film’s episodic structure, the director said, “There are so many stories in the original manga that I created a chaotic world in which various characters can come and go to tell an ensemble story.”

She continued, “I left spaces for you to fill in and imagine how the characters live their lives.”

The 75th Berlin International Film Festival concluded on Feb. 23.

“Seaside Serendipity” will be released in Japan this summer.

Related News