Okurimono

Dir. Laurence Lévesque
2024, Canada, Japan, 96 min
Japanese with English subtitles
Rated G

Noriko Oi, a Japanese-Canadian who has lived in Montreal for over 20 years, is preparing to return to her hometown of Nagasaki. She must return to help her siblings empty the family home, which will soon be sold.

Within the walls of this old house lie fragments of the Oi family’s history. What remains of memory when family secrets are buried underground and silence darkens collective memories? Noriko decides to reconstruct the past of her mother, Mitsuko, an atomic bomb survivor, in the hopes of taming her family legacy and healing the dark remnants of her cultural heritage’s tragic past.

Her quest promises to be arduous. Mitsuko, who died over 30 years ago, never shared her story. Throughout her search, Noriko meets various allies who will help her uncover her mother’s past and uncover unknown details about this era in her native Japan.

You may also like the following events from Dave Barber Cinematheque:

• This Wednesday, 30th July, 07:00 pm, Parade: Queer Acts of Love & Resistance in Winnipeg
• This Wednesday, 30th July, 09:30 pm, Okurimono in Winnipeg
• Next Thursday, 7th August, 07:00 pm, Collective Monologue in Winnipeg