After living out their final moments, a group of strangers arrives at an in-between realm where a group of counselors awaits them. The group receives a final task before they depart for good: they must pick one memory from each of their lives for the counselors to recreate. At the end of the week, each memory will be screened and shared with the audience. Afterward, each visitor will shed their final ties to the world and dissipate into the ether, living out their chosen memory for eternity.
Hirokazu Kore-eeda's 1998 exploration of memory, mortality, and transience offers a heartfelt and offbeat perspective on the arduous task of looking back on one's life at the end of their journey. Perhaps by looking back on the characters' lives, we can find a renewed sense of purpose in our own lives.
We hope you enjoy our discussion and encourage you to seek this film out if you haven't already.
Where to watch:
Criterion Channel (Stream)
The Internet Archive (Stream)
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