Ever since her mother has remarried and given birth to her brother, young Saaya has been living with her grandmother. Even though she tries to make the best of the situation and gets along with her grandma, she still misses her mother very much and looks forward to the few hours she spends with her and her brother Mitsuko on the weekends.
One day after school, she meets an old merchant selling what seems like dated kitsch on the streets. The old man offers her a small wooden box telling her the item has magic powers. Even though she is skeptical, she tries out the box and to her surprise it works, giving her the possibility to make her biggest wish come true: to have her mother all to herself again.
“Saaya's Box” is screening at Japan Cuts 2019
In her short feature, director Mikiko Okamoto tells a story about the meaning of family through the eyes of a child. During the exposition we get to know the ramifications of Saaya's life and are able to empathize with the feelings of the girl who essentially feels left out and wants to be the center of her mother's life again. The conflict described here bears some resemblance to the condition of many child heroes in the works of Hayao Miyazaki as the theme of family is deeply rooted within the real world. Consequently, this narrative foundation helps as soon as Okamoto introduces the magical elements to her story, making a point about the conflict between how we want our lives to be and how they really are.
One of the key elements of her film is the central performance by the child actor as well as the design of her character. You will quickly find yourself liking this little girl, her silliness, as well as her emotional bond with her family. Especially the scenes between her and her mother shine as the sense of playfulness and joy typical for a child comes through in these sequences. This is fittingly supported by the music as well as the sound design.
In the end, “Saaya's Box” is a sweet little film about the meaning of family. Supported by great acting, music and cinematography, this film will likely find many fans among its audience and hopefully will be a calling card for its director paving the way for more productions like this one.
