Dwelling on his past glory as a prize-winning author, Ryota wastes the money he makes as a private detective on gambling and can barely pay child support. After the death of his father, his loved ones seem to be moving on with their lives. Renewing contact with his initially distrusting family, Ryota struggles to take back control of his existence and to find a lasting place in the life of his young son – until a stormy summer night offers them a chance to truly bond again. In his signature, effortlessly comical style Japanese director Hirokazu Koreeda identifies the relationship between parents and children as the key to achieving lasting human happiness.
"After my father died, my mother started living by herself in a housing estate. When I went back home to see her during the New Year’s holiday, I thought that someday I’d like to shoot a story about this estate. /.../ Incorporating the changes that occurred within me after my mother and father died, it’s the film that is most coloured by who I am. After I die, if I’m taken in front of God or the Judge of the Afterlife and asked: 'What did you do down on earth?' I think I would first show them After the Storm."
(Hirokazu Kore-eda)
Hirokazu Koreeda
Born 1962 in Tokyo, Japan. After graduating Kore-eda joined the TV Man Union where he directed several prize-winning documentaries. In 1995, his directorial debut, Maborosi, entered the Venice International Film Festival’s competition programme. His second film, After Life, brought him international acclaim. The director’s works sensitively treat crucial human issues, often featuring children in leading roles.