• Release year: 2024
• Director: Denise Fernandes.
• Producers: Sandro Aguilar, David Epiney, Eugenia Mumenthaler and Luís Urbano.
• Screenplay by: Telmo Churro and Denise Fernandes.
• Cinematography by: Alana Mejía González.
• Music by: Rahel Zimmermann.

Shotgun Commentary: upbeat coming of age story.

Review

Hanami is the story of a little girl that is abandoned by her mother on a volcanic island. The narrative puts the “it takes a village” saying into action. The word hanami is Japanese for “watching the cherry blossoms in bloom”. It is a special occasion that brings you peace through the witnessing of natural beauty. The title is interestingly accurate, considering the uniqueness of the girl’s story and her beautiful transformation into a wise young woman thanks to the environment that nourishes her.

Family and folklore

Nana (Dailma Mendes) is abandoned by her mother at a young age. Her father, of course, being completely absent and irrelevant to the story or her life. This sets the context for their mother-daughter relationship. While it is never outright mentioned, only hinted at, her mother’s inability to take care of her is due to some kind of post-partum depression. The affliction complicates the matter as Nana was not abandoned on a whim but out of necessity. This becomes a crucial difference that will determine the tone of their reunion many years later.

This coming-of-age story focuses solely on Nana who, as an orphan of sorts, brings herself up. Even though there are two women taking care of her, she is mostly by herself, exploring the island or trying to make new friends. Surrealism and folklore douse her past and adventures. Stories of sailors, mermaids and faraway travellers feeding her imagination and enriching her life. The town elders are the storytellers of these legends and “anecdotes”. Some appear only in text, some also in image, providing some magical moments outside the main plot line.

Peace and beauty

While the main story relies most on the beauty of nature which, on a volcanic island, is quite abundant, the most unexpected moment takes place between a town elder and a Japanese traveller in a pretty average area. The lack of excessive decorations in the background plays beautifully with the small camp where both friends have tea, an area full of bright colours that exudes the peaceful joy of friendship. Same as during this moment, bright colours sprinkle the almost monochromatic backgrounds throughout the whole film, providing a gorgeous balance in every image.

Still, the main attraction of the story is discovering who Nana grows up to be. If you’ve watched way too many Hollywood movies, like yours truly, you might be expecting a dramatic confrontation between mother and daughter. Some screaming, some crying… maybe even some swearing. However, this film treats post-partum depression as what it is, a disorder that can be understood and treated. Respecting Nana’s innate intelligence and intellectual journey, their reunion is a lot more realistic. This part of the movie prioritises a logical representation over cheap drama, cherishing the creation of its characters until the very end.

All in all, Hanami is a very original coming-of-age film that focuses on showing how the environment around us shapes us into who we will become. It combines a message of love and respect for nature with the ever-dynamic growth of the protagonist. Notes of legend and folklore are sprinkled of some extra uniqueness, and a fantastic ending ties the whole thing together perfectly.

Advice to take from this movie:

• A dramatic entrance isn’t always welcomed.
• Never underestimate the value of empathy.
• Whatever the setback, it’s what you do with what you have that defines you.

What’s your take? Have you watched Hanami? Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message in my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀