Mother Lake

Set in 2036, famous photographer Fujii goes to a museum near Lake Biwa. He remembers a time twenty years earlier where he had believed that there was a dinosaur, Biwasshi, living in the lake and he had tried to convince people of this.

Directed by Naoki Segi, Mother Lake leans on a strong ensemble — Asahi Uchida, Kanji Tsuda, Shigeru Saiki — 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.