Call Me Chihiro

Chihiro works at a small bento shop in a seaside town. She does not hide what she used to do for a living and everyone in town knows it. She explains herself to nobody, helps without expecting anything back, and a loose circle of lonely people forms around her: a boy who will not eat, a homeless man, a high school student who cannot speak to her mother. Rikiya Imaizumi made it from a manga and promises no story of healing; nobody is saved, loneliness is simply shared for a while. Kasumi Arimura plays the part lightly and at a distance. The light, the sea and the scenes of food set the rhythm. It went out on Netflix. Who it is for: viewers who like calm Japanese drama and stories of ordinary life. Who it is not for: anyone wanting a story with a clear direction.