Kondo, a penniless young man who returns to his hometown of Ginpei-cho, encounters Sato, a movie enthusiast living on the streets.
This chance meeting leads Kondo to work part-time at the Ginpei Scala Theatre, a small independent cinema managed by Kajiwara. As he interacts with the theatre’s staff and meets the quirky regular customers, including a projectionist, struggling actors, musicians, and a dreamy middle-schooler with a passion for films, Kondo begins to reflect on his own past.
This delightful tragicomedy explores self-discovery and the revival of dreams, offering an engaging tale of human connection and resilience. It also takes up a subject very relatable to Japan’s small communities and an independent cinema which faces a crisis of existence, especially after the pandemic.
Director Hideo Jojo has become one of the most prolific and notable filmmakers in Japan, and his works, including this one, were featured at the 2023 Tokyo International Film Festival.