East Side Stories: Your Friends

Two schoolgirls, Emi and Yuka, form a friendship strengthened by their disabilities that their classmates can neither understand nor share. Years on, Emi recalls her unique relationship with Yuka to Nakahara, a photojournalist. A departure from the director’s previous work, this is a heart-warming tale about how a childhood friendship can last a lifetime.

Awards: Yokohama Film Festival (2009) Best Cinematographer - Akiko Ashizawa; Yokohama Film Festival (2009) Best New Talent - Anna Ishibashi