Ototo

The autobiographical novel of the same name by author Aya Koda and its adaptation by Yoko Mizuki, one of the few female screenwriters of the time, provide the central perspective: that of the young Gen (Keiko Kishi), who is responsible for running her family’s entire household. Her stepmother (Kinuyo Tanaka) feels unaccepted and is in poor health, while her father (Masayuki Mori) retreats into his work as a writer. Hekiro (Hiroshi Kawaguchi), her younger brother, is no help either – quite the opposite, in fact. The headstrong rebel is constantly getting into trouble and racking up gambling debts. Gen just about manages to stabilize this self-destructive microcosm – until Hekiro falls ill. With a muted color palette and wide-angle shots that are by turns claustrophobic and expansive, Keiko Kishi delivers a standout performance as she struggles between conformity and defiance. (mg)