is a 2024 Japanese coming-of-age sports drama film written and directed by Hiroshi Okuyama.Lovia Gyarkye, "‘My Sunshine’ Review: Poetry and Understated Charm Propel a Slender Japanese Figure Skating Drama". The Hollywood Reporter, May 19, 2024.
Plot Takuya is a young boy that appears listless during baseball and hockey practices. After a hockey match where he plays as the goalie, he is enraptured by Sakura, a young girl practicing figure skating. Takuya begins attempting spirals and spins in his hockey skates and is noticed by Arakawa, Sakura's coach and former competitive figure skater. Arakawa lends Takuya his old figure skates and begins providing him free lessons.
Arakawa visits a gas station, where his lover Igarashi works. At their home, Igarashi remarks that Arakawa is talking about skating again and appears happier after beginning to coach Takuya. As Takuya improves, Arakawa suggests Takuya and Sakura skate as an ice dance pair. Sakura was originally coached by Arakawa for women's singles figure skating, and is initially apprehensive. They begin learning the Dutch waltz, with the intention of attending the upcoming badge test. After visiting a frozen lake to practice, the three become closer in their pursuit, and the pair successfully learns the pattern dance.
While walking, Sakura happens to see Arakawa and Igarashi sharing a popsicle in his car. She then privately questions Arakawa on his motives for teaching Takuya, and expresses disgust towards him. At the badge test, Takuya and Arakawa wait for Sakura, but she does not arrive. Sakura's mother terminates lessons with Arakawa and states that Sakura does not intend to stop figure skating, but refuses to be coached by Arakawa and advises he stay away from her. Takuya returns to hockey lessons and Sakura returns to single skating.
Igarashi and Takuya discuss how Igarashi cannot leave his father's business, the gas station, but Igarashi can coach anywhere as he now has no students at the local rink. As spring arrives, Takuya walks home from school in a baggy middle school uniform carrying baseball equipment. Arakawa, driving by, greets Takuya and they drive to the now thawed lake where the three previously practiced. As they play catch, Takuya notices the boxes in Arakawa's car trunk and questions if he is leaving and if he will return. Arakawa states that he unsure and Takuya offers to return his figure skates, but Arakawa says they are a gift.
Takuya later walks towards the rink, holding the figure skates. He encounters Sakura walking from the rink, having previously just practiced her single program to part of Clair de lune. The film closes with Takuya about to speak to Sakura.
Cast Keitatsu Koshiyama as Takuya Kiara Nakanishi as Sakura Sosuke Ikematsu as Arakawa Ryuya Wakaba as Igarashi Yunho as Kosei Maho Yamada as Maho Mikami
Production To garner natural performances, Okuyama did not provide a script to the film's young actors prior to filming. Actors were given the bare minimum dialogue once on set and asked to improvise the rest of their lines.
Release The film premiered in the Un Certain Regard program at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival,Zac Ntim, "Cannes Film Festival Lineup Set: Competition Includes Coppola, Audiard, Cronenberg, Arnold, Lanthimos, Sorrentino & Abbasi’s Trump Movie — Full List". Deadline Hollywood, April 11, 2024. where it was named as a nominee for the Queer Palm.Tim Dams, "Queer Palm reveals eligible titles from 2024 Cannes lineup". Screen Daily, May 9, 2024.
It was also invited at the 29th Busan International Film Festival in 'Special program in focus' Teenage Minds, Teenage Movies section and it will be screened in October 2024.
Reception Critical reception The film holds a 91% "Fresh" score on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, based on 11 reviews with an average rating of 8.5/10. Pete Hammond of Deadline characterized My Sunshine as a "quiet and lilting charmer of a coming-of-age story."
Accolades Award Ceremony date Category Recipient(s) Result Ref. Cannes Film Festival 24 May 2024 Un Certain Regard My Sunshine 25 May 2024 Queer Palm QCinema International Film Festival 13 November 2024 RainbowQC – Special Mention Hochi Film Awards16 December 2024Best New Artist Keitatsu Koshiyama Kiara Nakanish Yokohama Film Festival2 February 2025Yoshimitsu Morita Memorial Best New Director Hiroshi Okuyama Best Supporting Actor Sosuke Ikematsu Best Newcomer Keitatsu Koshiyama Blue Ribbon AwardsFebruary 2025 Best Supporting Actor Sosuke Ikematsu Best Newcomer Keitatsu Koshiyama Kiara Nakanishi Mainichi Film Awards13 February 2025 Best Supporting Performance Sosuke Ikematsu Best Newcomer Keitatsu Koshiyama Japan Academy Film Prize 14 March 2025 Newcomer of the Year Keitatsu Koshiyama Asian Film Awards 16 March 2025 Best Supporting Actor Sosuke Ikematsu
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