Anoko wa kizoku

Seen in the IFFRprogram 2021 on this title aristocrats. Great insight in classes in Japanese society in a subtle storytelling about the life of two young woman. Slowly you feel the knot of expectation and tradition getting tighter. With beautiful photography the story is told and and give life to a beautiful story

Between women the society often subtly shapes an conflicting views, and this movie is a like a literature helps us see the deeply better world.

Also the income inequality and social classes wouldn't always make the rich growing kids blessed, this shapes the better open questions for all to answer again.

This film drives you through different perspectives on the issue of social class. A complex and heavy pressure that family, context, culture and traditions put on the shoulders of these beautifully developed characters. Who try very hard to be free on their own.

Chapter by chapter, you start drowning slowly in the history and emotions that these characters are going through, in pursuit of true happiness.

An interesting work of common life cinema about the different Japanese social classes, especially the political class. A sincere and feminine look that does not fall into the gratuitous drama or the grotesque. This year Hamaguchi surname is going to be in everyone mouth, but Sode Yukiko leaves him poe behind. It is not necessary to fall into the snobbish and artificial to tell a good story.

The film illustrates the challenges and problems of women in (Japanese) society very well, the expected life paths, the judgement of the older generations, and it holds the viewer's interest well enough. But it feels like every scene straight up tells you what the problem is very literally, there isn't much room for subtlety or character exploration. It feels like a documentary illustrated in examples. Don't get me wrong, the film raises very important points very elaborately, but it reverses the "show, don't tell" principle a bit too often.

What should be the difference between a documentary and a drama dealing with the same problem? The drama should captivate, and naturally guide the audience to think about these issues because they care about the characters. A scene should not just tell a situation, it should also leave room for interpretation and interesting, surprising character interactions.

Again, don't get me wrong, the characters here are still interesting, the story is well put together, and also visually there is a lot to appreciate. It just felt a bit too much like a lecture.

But if I ever had to show someone problems in Japanese society, especially for women, maybe as a conversation starter, and it had to be in the form of a film/drama, this would be a very good choice.

And with the visual elements and the important societal questions asked, I definitely don't regret watching this film at all.