Program Note
Five children, each with a unique ability to read others' emotions in their own special way. Shy and reserved, Kyo harbors feelings for the cheerful and popular Mickey, but chooses to stay quietly by her side as just a friend. There's also Zuka, the charming school idol with both looks and athletic talent; Para, an unpredictable and quirky girl; and Elle, a timid girl with a quiet presence. Each of them keeps their true feelings carefully hidden. One day, Elle's sudden absence from school sets off a ripple effect, slowly unraveling the secret and delicate emotional threads that tie them together. Set during a time of academic pressure and uncertainty, their ability to 'read' emotions serves as a gentle fantasy unique to this story. Cute, quirky, and yet grounded in a certain realism, their secret becomes a shimmering metaphor for the fragile emotions of youth. Based on the novel by I Want to Eat Your Pancreas (2016) author Sumino Yoru, and directed by the filmmaker behind Sayonara, Girls (2022), this film captures the bittersweet essence of a high-teen drama with the same sparkle as the children's extraordinary powers. (Martin LEE)