A deeply moving motion picture almost single handedly carried with deeply moving, low-keyed acting by Serena Motola. Motola heads a diverse group of talented performers some of whom may be playing themselves (such as immigrants from the Middle East in restaurant scenes).

This is an atypical road picture mostly confined to communities impacted by the 2011 triple disaster (earthquake, tsunami, and reactor melt down) in North Eastern Honshu. While repair of the physical destruction seems mostly realized, this is far from true for the emotional trauma suffered by surviving and returning residents. The latter may never be completely healed.

Cinematography is good except for headache inducing fast panning shots. Sound field is exceptional. Subtitles are close enough.

In her closing scenes (shot inside Otsuchi's famous disconnected "wind phone booth" where the grief stricken can "phone" their dearly departed), Motola displays a tour de force of emotions in a long single take. Acting rarely gets better than this! Highly recommended.

Viewed at Smithsonian/ JICC J-Film event. WILLIAM FLANIGAN