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A Pale View of Hills

Play trailer A Pale View of Hills 2025 2h 3m Drama History Play Trailer Watchlist
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60% Tomatometer 15 Reviews Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
Desperate to understand her family's past in Japan before her birth, Niki probes her mother, Etsuko, about their time in Nagasaki. Told through flashbacks, Etsuko recounts the tale of a friend she knew long ago.... Spanning the two timelines, the film is a moving and hopeful account of the generational impact of war and tragedy on one family.

Critics Reviews

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Namrata Joshi The New Indian Express The many ambiguities often make things irritatingly convoluted and the acting, other than from Hirose and Yoshida, is not layered enough to deliver on the emotions, intrigues and the complexities. Sep 1, 2025 Full Review Guy Lodge Variety Ishikawa never finds a narratively satisfying way to present ambiguities that can shimmer more nebulously on the page, building to a reveal that feels overwrought and rug-pulling. May 21, 2025 Full Review Lovia Gyarkye The Hollywood Reporter The impact of A Pale View of Hills is blunted by a tendency to over-explain and flatten. Still, there are some highlights, including the relationship between Etsuko and Sachiko. May 18, 2025 Full Review Robert Stinner In Review Online A Pale View of Hills ultimately does not outmatch its formidable source material, but Ishikawa has crafted an admirable counterpart. Sep 15, 2025 Full Review Christopher Llewellyn Reed Film Festival Today Though committedly elliptical to a fault, "A Pale View of Hills" nevertheless offers us a chance to bask in Suzu Hirose’s performance. That’s well worth the accompanying frustrations of such an opaque final enigma. Rated: 3/5 Sep 15, 2025 Full Review Rachel LaBonte Screen Rant Though gorgeous and dreamy, Kei Ishikawa's A Pale View of Hills lacks the depth and focus required to really make an impact on audiences. Rated: 4/10 Sep 13, 2025 Full Review Read all reviews
A Pale View of Hills

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Cast & Crew

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Kei Ishikawa

Director

Suzu Hirose

Niki

Fumi Nikaidô

Actor

Yô Yoshida

Actor

Camilla Aiko

Actor

Kouhei Matsushita

Actor
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A Pale View of Hills

A Pale View of Hills (2025) A Pale View of Hills (2025) A Pale View of Hills (2025) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Desperate to understand her family's past in Japan before her birth, Niki probes her mother, Etsuko, about their time in Nagasaki. Told through flashbacks, Etsuko recounts the tale of a friend she knew long ago.... Spanning the two timelines, the film is a moving and hopeful account of the generational impact of war and tragedy on one family.
Director
Kei Ishikawa
Producer
Miyuki Fukuma, Marta Gmosinska
Screenwriter
Kei Ishikawa
Production Co
Bunbuku
Genre
Drama, History
Original Language
Japanese
Runtime
2h 3m