My Sunshine

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My Sunshine

2024

1h 30m

Drama

Romance

Sports

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

92%

Tomatometer

13 Reviews

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

On a Japanese island, life revolves around the changing seasons. Winter is time for ice hockey at school, but Takuya isn't too thrilled about it. His real interest lies in Sakura, a figure skating rising star from Tokyo, for whom he starts to develop a genuine fascination. Coach and former champion Arakawa, spots potential in Takuya, and decides to mentor him to form a duo with Sakura for an upcoming competition. As winter persists, feelings grow, and the two children form an harmonious bond. But even the first snow eventually melts away.

Robert Daniels

RogerEbert.com

A gentle, unassuming film about the pain and misdirection that can arise from young love.

May 24, 2024

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Lovia Gyarkye

The Hollywood Reporter

Guided by the beauty of the landscape and the nostalgia of childhood, Okuyama constructs a quiet narrative buoyed by an understated charm.

May 22, 2024

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Ryan Lattanzio

indieWire

Both the glass-half-full and the glass-half-empty corners of the audience will resonate with Okuyama’s understated storytelling as this triad gets trickier as the movie moves along.

Rated: A-

May 20, 2024

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Carlos Losilla

Caimán Cuadernos de Cine

A beautiful phantasmagoria. [Full review in Spanish]

Oct 23, 2024

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Mark Schilling

Japan Times

This story unfolds at a deliberate pace with a minimum of dialogue, but once this triumvirate is formed, the gentle-spirited comedy of the opening scenes gives way to a tension whose sources are crystal clear from a word here and a glance there...

Rated: 4/5

Sep 12, 2024

Full Review

Joonatan Itkonen

Toisto.net

My Sunshine is a great film because it leaves us with questions... Like the best films, My Sunshine becomes a part of us and never lets go.

Rated: 5/5

Jul 3, 2024

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Audience Member

The tranquil beauty of a simple story of perspectives that subtly changes peoples' life directions. A mastery of blank-spacing.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/03/25

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Well L

Children's pureness draws the joy and passion out of adults. Adults live again when they are child again. The sunshine is the little child lies within your heart ❤️. Minimal dialogue, but the joy, actions and cinematography are enough to communicate with the audience. Best communication is done with little words and an agreeing nod.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/16/25

Full Review

Sharon Y

A very interesting story about young love, love that conquers time, struggles with being above board, testing love in all ways possible that leads to a happy ending. I didn’t want it to end. Didn’t mind subtitles. Actors were amazing. Highly recommend.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/25/24

Full Review

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Hiroshi Okuyama

Director

Keitatsu Koshiyama

Takuya

Sôsuke Ikematsu

Arakawa

Kiara Nakanishi

Sakura

Ryuya Wakaba

Igarashi

Maho Yamada

Maho

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Synopsis

On a Japanese island, life revolves around the changing seasons. Winter is time for ice hockey at school, but Takuya isn't too thrilled about it. His real interest lies in Sakura, a figure skating rising star from Tokyo, for whom he starts to develop a genuine fascination. Coach and former champion Arakawa, spots potential in Takuya, and decides to mentor him to form a duo with Sakura for an upcoming competition. As winter persists, feelings grow, and the two children form an harmonious bond. But even the first snow eventually melts away.

Director: Hiroshi Okuyama
Producer: Toshikazu Nishigaya, Masa Sawada
Screenwriter: Hiroshi Okuyama
Production Co: Tokyo Theatres, Comme des Cinémas, The Asahi Shimbun Company
Genre: Drama, Romance, Sports
Original Language: Japanese
Runtime: 1h 30m