Yutaka Tsunemachi, after directing two short films, “Namigiwa” in 2018 and “Female” in 2020, and a few episodes of the TV series “Me, My Husband & My Husband's Boyfriend” in 2023, debuts with full-length drama “Drifting Flowers, Flowing Days”. The movie had its international premiere at the 45th Moscow International Film Festival, where it won the Silver St. George Award for Best Actress.
Drifting Flowers, Flowing Days is screening at Asian Pop Up Cinema
The story concentrates on the everyday life of three characters – Hiroto (Hiroki Sato), Futaba (Kaho Seto) and Daigo (Masashi Yamada). Hiroto works at a construction site, Futaba at a flower shop, and Daigo in a design studio. Life appears to be proceeding as normal, but due to certain unforeseen events, like the occurrence of problems at work or family issues, they begin to question their life choices and reflect on the future.
Yutaka Tsunemachi chose to base his movie on the emotions he experienced while working on the script. In an interview in 2023, he admitted: “What I saw, heard, felt and the undefinable emotions that arose, are the driving forces behind my work.” This approach allowed him to depict the contemporary life in Tokyo in a quiet and elusive way, but also without any stirring substance. The story is very loosely constructed and resembles a patchwork of scenes and improvisation rather than a precisely prepared script.
Check also this interview
The film touches on several current and socially significant themes, such as the ruthless job market or the modernization of urban space. However, the most important one seems to be the relationship between Hiroto and Futaba, which is portrayed very superficially. Viewers don't know since when, or even why, the couple is together – their behaviour at no point suggests any romantic involvement. The only hints on this matter come directly from Futaba's conversations with others.
The cinematography by Shu Hagiwara is consistent, with mostly hand-held camera. The unremarkable shooting style doesn't add much to the movie, but it also doesn't detract from it. The acting is also at an average level. There is no chemistry between the characters, neither there are interesting dialogues – one might have a feeling that the actors simply tell their respective lines. Hiroki Sato and Masashi Yamada deliver ordinary performances, but their characters are quite dull and one-dimensional. One moderately standout performance is by Kaho Seto, who quite convincingly shows Futaba's distress caused by an uncertain future. It's no surprise, considering that the director wrote this character especially for her.
The issue with films where the director is also the screenwriter, editor, and producer is their highly individualistic nature. This type of art is largely crafted by one person, and as a result, only the creator is able to fully understand and appreciate it. “Drifting Flowers, Flowing Days” is an inexpressive and unengaging experience. Although, there are some interesting plots, unfortunately none of them are developed enough to deliver a meaningful message. All these aspects, such as the lack of a distinctive filming style or an appealing story, contribute to a picture that is easy to watch but also easy to forget.
