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Umibe é Iku Michi

Seaside Serendipity | Sommerliche Zufälle
Generation Kplus 2025
© Eri Okamoto
A seaside town with long-term residents of all ages and genders has recently started attracting artists drawn by a project in the area. Odd incidents occur, naive adults meet cunning children and the sea and sky shimmer in the light. Middle-school student Sosuke finds life easy, energised by the joy of creating. Alongside him, the story’s second main character continuously changes in the bright sunlight: the town itself. Like a restless child, it is in constant motion. Nobody is perfect but everyone has the potential to love others. While the children are inexhaustible in their attempts to solve the tasks before them, the adults repeatedly try to figure out their own existence. A collection of vignettes from an unforgettable summer where every character is lovable and filled with a tenderness that touches the heart.
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by Satoko Yokohama (Director, Screenplay)
with Konosuke Harada, Kumiko Aso, Kengo Kora, Erika Karata, Koharu Sugawara, Nobuhiro Suwa, Jun Murakami, Ayame Goriki, Kankuro Kudo, Maki Sakai Japan 2025 Japanese 141' Colour World premiere recommendation: 10 years and up

With

  • Konosuke Harada (Sosuke Minami)
  • Kumiko Aso (Sumiko Minami)
  • Kengo Kora (Takaoka)
  • Erika Karata (Yoko)
  • Koharu Sugawara (Meg)
  • Nobuhiro Suwa (Mr. A)
  • Jun Murakami (Ken)
  • Ayame Goriki (Risako)
  • Kankuro Kudo (Goro)
  • Maki Sakai (Shizuka)

Crew

Director Satoko Yokohama
Screenplay Satoko Yokohama
Cinematography Yuta Tsukinaga
Editing Keiko Okawa
Music Zo Zhit
Sound Design Hisashi Iwamaru
Production Design Shusaku Tsukamoto
Casting Naoya Ito
Producers Daisuke Wada, Asako Nakano, Masayoshi Jonai
Executive Producers Tomomi Yoshimura, Taro Maki, Kazuhiro Ohta

World Sales

Tokyo Theatres Company

Produced by

Genco

YOAKE Pictures

Photos

Satoko Yokohama

Born in the Aomori Prefecture of Japan in 1978. She graduated from the Film School of Tokyo with the film Chiemi and Kokkunpatcho and then made German plus Rain which won the New Directors Award from the Directors Guild of Japan. Her feature film ITO, set in her home town of Aomori, won numerous awards.

Filmography

2005 Chiemi-chan to Kokkunpatcho (Chiemi and Kokkunpatcho) 2007 German + Ame (German plus Rain) 2009 Ultra Miracle Love Story (Bare Essence of Life) 2010 Obaa-chan Onnanoko (The Granny Girl); short film 2013 Ringo Nouka no Shoujyo (A Girl in the Apple Farm) 2014 Honsundonsukosuko; short film 2016 Haiyu KAMEOKA Takuji (The Actor) 2019 Hitori Camp de Kutte Neru (Camping, Eating and Sleeping, Alone.); series, 1 episodes 2020 ARIMURA Kasumi no Kyujitsu (A Day-Off of Kasumi Arimura); series, 1 episodes 2021 Itomichi (ITO) 2023 Kisetsu no Nai Machi (A Town Without Seasons); series, 3 episodes 2025 Umibe é Iku Michi (Seaside Serendipity)

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2025