KANASANDO

The title comes from a beloved Okinawan folk song, which plays a pivotal role in this heartfelt drama that strikes a fine balance between comedy and teary poignancy. A wayward daughter returns to her island home to make amends with her critically ill father who cheated on his doting wife. Sure to be a festival favorite from director Toshiyuki Teruya, it is a deeply humane story of familial love and redemption built upon the superb performances of Ruka Matsuda, Keiko Horiuchi, and veteran Tadanobu Asano (HIFF 2017 Maverick Award), better known internationally for his role as Lord Kashigi Yabushige in SHŌGUN. As with his previous work, director Teruya (BORN, BONE, BORN, HIFF 2020) tackles life’s painful realities with a liberal dose of wit and humor in a deeply humane story of familial love and redemption steeped in Okinawa''s unique and beautiful culture.