The Friends

Shinji Sōmai's 1994 Japanese film is adapted from a children's novel by Kazumi Yumoto. Three primary school boys, curious about what death is, begin spying on an old man who lives alone in their neighbourhood; their aim is to wait for him to die and see what happens. When he notices, the relationship reverses: the boys start clearing his garden, doing his shopping and spending time with him. He talks about his past in the war years, and the story grows slowly along with the children. Sōmai is known for long takes, and here too the camera stays on the boys without cutting, so that the summer itself becomes what sets the film's duration. The ending is emotional without overreaching. Who it's for: viewers who like quiet films about childhood and death. Who it's not for: anyone expecting brisk storytelling; the film moves at the pace of the season.