A Rainbow-colored Trip

Director Shinji Imaoka, whose critically acclaimed film "Reiko Iruka" was selected as one of the top ten Japanese films of 2020 by the film magazine "Eiga Geijutsu," presents this musical-style short film set at a rainy campsite, depicting a girl's desire for her parents' reunion through song. Fifth-grader Haruka visits the campsite with her parents, but their relationship, which is on the verge of divorce, is strained. Haruka ventures alone into the forest to find a waterfall where wishes are said to come true. Along the way, she meets a boy her age named Daichi, who guides her to the waterfall, where she prays for her parents' reconciliation. Later, Haruka is found collapsed in the forest after suffering from stomach pain, which leads to another argument between her parents. Seeing this, Haruka instinctively flees the scene, but...

Directed by Shinji Imaoka, A Rainbow-colored Trip leans on a strong ensemble — Yune Sakurai, Yuri Ogino, Ryuju Kobayashi — 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 music titles of 2021.