Mozu

When the recently divorced Sachiko (Ineko Ari-ma) visits her mother Sugako (Chikage Awashima) at the Tokyo eatery where she works, it’s their first meeting in 15 years. The fact that Sugako left her young daughter with relatives in the countryside during the war to build a life for herself in Tokyo after her husband’s death hangs in the air as a source of resentment, as does Sachiko’s frustration with her mother’s career choice and lifestyle. When they nevertheless decide to move in together, bitter arguments, abandonment fears, mistrust and disappointments are inevitable. Produced by the Ninjin Club, MOZU is a bitter, relentless melodrama whose bright color palette and occasional light-hearted moments among Sugako’s former colleagues stand in sharp contrast to the darkness of the family conflicts. (mg)