My Identity
Bullied at school and beaten by her mother, Taiwanese-Japanese teenager Rei runs away from home and is spontaneously taken in by Aoi, an office worker stigmatized by petty gossip who fights off unwanted attention from a male colleague. After a traumatic event binds them even closer together, the pair flee Tokyo and hide away in an abandoned inn. Together, they create a utopian space of female camaraderie and solace—with occasional picnics and trips to the mesmerising Seitenkyu Palace—but before long are forced to face reality. Elegantly directed by newcomer Sae Suzuki, My Identity is a tender coming-of-age tale that captures the profound yearning of youth and power of acceptance.
Available streaming territory: U.S. only