Yamabuki(HKAFF 2022)

Like his previous works, tomato farmer and director Juichiro Yamasaki’s melancholic third feature is set in his rural hometown of Maniwa in western Japan. With a title that alludes to a wild flower which blossoms in spring, Yamabuki is shot in grainy 16mm that complements its hardy setting and characters. South Korean equestrian athlete Chang-su (Kang Yoon-soo) was forced to give up his dream and now toils as a migrant worker at a quarry, while living with Minami who fled an abusive husband. Elsewhere in town, teenage girl Yamabuki (Kilala Inori) defies her policeman father to participate in silent protests over sociopolitical issues. The seemingly disparate lives of Chang-su and Yamabuki unfold in parallel and intersect at a difficult crossroad.