UK Premiere
Seaside Serendipity 去海边的路
ASIAN SPARK
Year of Production 2025
Production Countries/Regions Japan
Duration 140 mins
Genres Drama Coming-of-Age Festival
Dialogue Language(s) Japanese
Subtitle Language(s) English
Director(s) Satoko Yokohama
Director’s Bio
Born in 1978. Yokohama graduated The Film School of Tokyo in 2004. Her graduation short film, Chiemi and Kokkunpatcho (2006), won a grant, and she independently produced her first feature film, German plus Rain (2007), which was released theatrically nationwide.
In 2009, she directed her first commercial film, Bare Essence of Life. The film was featured at several international film festivals, including the Toronto and Vancouver International Film Festival.
The 2021 film ITO won several domestic awards.
She is known for her talent in capturing intangible elements of everyday life with unique and expressive storytelling.
Synopsis
A seaside town with long-term residents of all ages and genders has recently started attracting artists drawn by a project in the area. Odd incidents occur, naive adults meet cunning children and the sea and sky shimmer in the light. Middle-school student Sosuke finds life easy, energised by the joy of creating. Alongside him, the story’s second main character continuously changes in the bright sunlight: the town itself. Like a restless child, it is in constant motion. Nobody is perfect but everyone has the potential to love others. While the children are inexhaustible in their attempts to solve the tasks before them, the adults repeatedly try to figure out their own existence. A collection of vignettes from an unforgettable summer where every character is lovable and filled with a tenderness that touches the heart.
Festivals & Awards
2025 75th Berlin International Film Festival-Generation Section – Special Mention Generation Kplus
2025 50th TIFF Next Wave Film Festival
2025 Nara International Film Festival – Crystal SHIKA Award
Scriptwriter(s)
Satoko Yokohama
Producer(s)
Daisuke Wada, Asako Nakano, Masayoshi Jonal
Executive Producer(s)
Kazuhiro OTA, Taro MAKI, Tomomi YOSHIMURA
Key Casts
Konosuke HARADA (Sosuke MINAMI), Kumiko ASO (Sumiko MINAMI), Kengo KORA (TAKAOKA), Erika KARATA (Yoko), Ayame GORIKI (Risako TANIGAWA), Koharu SUGAWARA (Meg)
Curators’ note
Director’s Statement
Based on Gin Miyoshi’s poetic and fantastical manga The Road to the Seaside, the director describes the work’s gentle embrace of human contradictions. In a society that has lost tolerance and demands perfection, the manga’s liars, absurdities, and dark humor offer a sense of relief. Grateful for the chance to adapt it into a film, the director spent years exploring countless creative choices in writing, shooting, and editing—possibilities made possible by the openness of the original. The film aims to inherit Miyoshi’s spirit of acceptance, allowing viewers to interpret the story freely—or not at all. Ultimately, it celebrates the beauty of small, nameless lives through humor and warmth, inviting audiences to simply enjoy this modest, compassionate story that reflects both the flaws and resilience of humanity.
