It seems fitting that in the same cinema guide in which we celebrate master of Japanese cinema Yasujiro Ozu, we also turn the spotlight on contemporary filmmaker Hirokazu Koreeda (After Life, Nobody Knows), who could be considered his worthy successor. The dignity with which this family drama unfolds, the preoccupation with everyday detail and quiet desperation beneath the calm surface are now classic Koreeda. With Still Walking, he has finally taken his rightful place as one of the most accomplished and talented Japanese filmmakers.

The story revolves around the Yokoyama clan, gathered to remember the passing of a favourite son. Over a twenty four hour period, we follow the family: two elderly parents, their adult son, daughter, and grandchildren as they come together to eat, reminisce, and visit the gravesite. Very subtly and with great storytelling skill, Koreeda draws us into this domestic world, full of regret and resentment. The title in the film’s original language, Even If You Walk And Walk, deftly describes the overarching theme of the film, that even though one generation might be about to depart this world, another must carry on. Despite the familiar tropes of intergenerational drama - the grumpy grandad, estranged second son, wise-beyond-their-years grandchildren - Koreeda avoids all the clichés, and infuses his film with such delicacy and beauty that what could have been yet another movie about a dysfunctional family reunion instead becomes a cinematic poem.