Call Me Chihiro (2023): Loneliness on the seashore
2023 • Rikiya Imaizumi • 1.66:1 • Jump to Gallery ↓
Call Me Chihiro, directed by Rikiya Imaizumi and adapted from the manga by Hiroyuki Yasuda, follows Chihiro, a former sex worker who now runs a small bento shop in a coastal town. Through her everyday interactions with customers and local residents, she quietly but meaningfully becomes part of the lives of those experiencing loneliness, uncertainty, or emotional distance.
This soulful slice-of-life drama moves with the gentle rhythm of a seaside breeze. It is centred around meals, walks, conversations, and moments of silence. Set in a quiet coastal town and shot in overexposed, sun-bleached pastels, the story transforms its protagonist’s world into a serene, almost therapeutic landscape where even the shadows feel warm.
Focusing on building an unconventional community to foster healing, Call Me Chihiro moves slowly to highlight the human side of its story. It is a heartwarming and quietly profound film that reminds us that being alone and being lonely are two different things entirely.
Technical Specs:
- The Story: A former sex worker starts a new life working at a seaside bento shop, quietly forming connections with customers and outsiders while confronting loneliness, judgment, and the possibility of emotional renewal.
- Actors: Kasumi Arimura, Hana Toyoshima, Ryuya Wakaba, Yui Sakuma, Van, Lily Franky, Jun Fubuki, Mitsuru Hirata, Toshie Negishi, Itsuki Nagasawa, Miwako Ichikawa.
- Director: Rikiya Imaizumi
- Year: 2023
- Cinematographer: Hiroshi Iwanaga
- Origin: Japanese Cinema
- Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
- Genre: Drama
