A family meeting to commemorate the death of a family hero sparks intergenerational conflict as tensions mount and old grievances are aired over the course of their 24 hours together.
Reviews
“When Nobody Knows debuted in Cannes in 2004, director Hirokazu Kore-eda became a name everyone knows in the festival circuit. His return to home drama is a meditation on how children, or rather life, can never live up to expectations. The unostentatious artistry is reminiscent of Ozu’s Tokyo Story, but his documentary-style film language is refreshingly contemporary.” Maggie Lee, The Hollywood Reporter
“Kore-Eda offers a slow, subdued, realistic portrait of the relations between three generations, condensed within the space of a one-day family encounter. There is guilt, in more shapes than one; a certain degree of veiled greed; whimsical sadness and a constant touch of irony that prevents the plot from sinking into a self-accusatory, morbid piece.” Dan Fainaru, Screen International
Awards
Asian Film Awards ’09 – WINNER
– Best Director (Hirokazu Koreeda)