Four Sisters and a Funeral
The three sisters, Sachi, Yoshino, and Chika, live together in the coastal town of Kamakura. When they learn of their estranged father’s death, they decide to travel to the countryside for his funeral. There, they meet their half-sister, Suzu, for the first time. Quickly forming a bond, they invite the girl to live with them, and she enthusiastically agrees, beginning a new life with her sisters. Amidst the changing colors of Japan’s four seasons, the young women learn in Our Little Sister by Hirokazu Koreeda from each other, sharing a wide range of emotions and supporting one another through life’s varied challenges, forming a unique and profound connection.
Set against the backdrop of the summer ocean glistening in sunlight, glowing autumn foliage, an avenue of fading cherry blossom trees, rain-soaked hydrangeas, and brilliant fireworks welcoming a new summer, the young women’s touching and relatable tale captures the irreplaceable moments that define a true family. Accompanied by the beautiful music of legendary composer Yoko Kanno, known for epic works such as Tokyo Sora, Petal Dance, and Kamikaze Girls, each scene in Our Little Sister resonates with the main character’s struggles and triumphs. Every piano note has meaning, and every stroke of the violin tells a different story.
Our Little Sister is a light drama about people in different stages of life, scarred by the past but refusing to let it define their future. Sachi, Yoshino, and Chika don’t hesitate to welcome their half-sister Suzu into their lives, offering her the family she never had. As the four women stand on the beach after another milestone, laughing and gazing into the distance, I feel grateful to have met them and the other inhabitants of their town. I’ve shared in their joyful and sorrowful moments, and I hope that the future of these four sisters will shine as brightly as the small fireworks that lit up the overgrown garden of their old house just a few moments before.