The Gift of Memory

A college student works a part time job at a bookstore, and meets an older patron wearing a long coat who tells her that "the young are beautiful, but the old moreso". Shortly afterwards, a friend tells her of a suspicious person who has been following her mother. When she gets home, she finds her mother watching a high school film from decades ago, featuring her mother and father, as well as another boy they both seemed to get along with. On the path to find her mother's stalker, our heroine arrives at a second floor detective's office with her friend. Together, they tail the suspect in a car, but...

Directed by Isao Yukisada, The Gift of Memory leans on a strong ensemble — Ai Hashimoto, Kengo Kora, Ryotaro Yonemura — 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 2016.