{"id":26289,"date":"2024-09-26T23:11:57","date_gmt":"2024-09-27T03:11:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cinemadailyus.com\/?p=26289"},"modified":"2024-09-26T23:14:17","modified_gmt":"2024-09-27T03:14:17","slug":"tiff-my-sunshine-is-an-affecting-story-of-young-love-and-skill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cinemadailyus.com\/?p=26289","title":{"rendered":"TIFF: \u2018My Sunshine\u2019 is an Affecting Story of Young Love and Skill"},"content":{"rendered":"

There are many reasons that people might enter the world of sports. Often it\u2019s true talent or the support \u2013 or enthusiastic encouragement, however warranted by ability \u2013 of a family member, friend, or coach. It can also just be the oldest and most basic motivation of all, to be close to and impress someone else. My Sunshine<\/em><\/strong> follows a boy whose eagerness to be around his crush leads to an unexpected transformation from hockey player to figure skater thanks to a determined and affectionate coach.<\/p>\n

Takuya (Keitatsu Koshiyama) plays hockey and has a stutter, and he can\u2019t take his eyes off Sakura (Kiara Nakanishi), a figure skater. As he spends time in the vicinity of her coach, Arakawa (S\u014dsuke Ikematsu), so that he can be closer to Sakura, Takuya becomes Arakawa\u2019s newest pupil, taking the limited skills he has on the ice and turning them into something less sporty and far more artistic. The closeness the two develop doesn\u2019t sit well with Sakura, who feels that Takuya isn\u2019t up to her level, while Arakawa\u2019s boyfriend Igarashi (Ry\u00fbya Wakaba) also notices how much attention he is paying to this unexpected student.<\/p>\n

My Sunshine<\/em><\/strong> comes from filmmaker Hiroshi Okuyama, his second feature film after 2018\u2019s Jesus<\/em><\/strong>. Since Okuyama serves multiple roles, acting as director, writer, cinematographer, and editor, it\u2019s clear that this is truly his vision. The setup itself is simple and there aren\u2019t very many characters, but this story feels tight and relevant thanks to the focus of its camera, which spotlights two young people who don\u2019t show what they know in what they say but rather how they move, and the man who can harness their talent and help to shape them into the best athletes and artists they can be.<\/p>\n<\/ins>\n

The effectiveness of this film is very much dependent on the strength of its three lead performers. This is the first film role for both Koshiyama and Nakanishi, and they deliver understated and memorable turns, saying little but evoking much in the way that they dance \u2013 or struggle to do so \u2013 across the ice. Ikematsu is considerably more seasoned, with a filmography dating back two decades to the Oscar-nominated The Last Samurai<\/em><\/strong>. While he speaks much more than his younger counterparts, there\u2019s just as much subtlety and nuance to his turn. Wakaba rounds out the ensemble with a different type of energy, supportive of his partner but not nearly as invested in the future of these two youth. Dialogue is sparse throughout this ninety-minute film, but each of its players makes the little they say count all the more in how they deliver it and address each other.<\/p>\n

My Sunshine<\/em><\/strong>, which made its debut at the Cannes Film Festival back in May and has since screened at the Toronto International Film Festival and other locations, was also recently released in Japanese cinemas. The way in which its characters conduct themselves and interact reflects Japanese culture but their dynamic has a universality to it that will be recognizable to those involved in competitive sports and who have tried, and potentially failed, to become great in a world that doesn\u2019t always reward effort.<\/p>\n

Fortunately, this showcase is much more intimate and doesn\u2019t venture into areas of recruitment or judged arenas, instead remaining focused on these two people indulging a passion that may or may not last as they grow. But, for the time being, it feels real and all-consuming, particularly for the two people looking up to the artist teaching them how to be better. For audiences, the experience should also be affirming and satisfying, visually arresting and emotionally compelling.<\/p>\n

Grade: B+<\/strong><\/p>\n

Check out more of Abe Friedtanzer\u2019s articles<\/a>.<\/p>\n