Imaginary Line

Fumiko is a film director who hasn't been able to lay her mother's ashes to rest. At her friend Yume's suggestion, she decides to scatter the ashes into the ocean. They head off to her mother's hometown of Kamakura, but Yume gets arrested and taken into immigration detention. Yume was born to a refugee mother in Japan and grew up in the country but doesn't have residency status. Fumiko fights to get Yume released from the detention center. Then Yume discovers that she is pregnant, which raises the possibility of her release. But she has a miscarriage and her ray of hope vanishes.

Directed by Kensho Sakamoto, Imaginary Line leans on a strong ensemble — Yuka Nakashima, Leiya, Musashi Tanno — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 2024.