First Trailer For JOY OF MAN'S DESIRING: Japanese Children Dealing With Grief

Written and directed by Sugita Masakazu, it's a film that tells the story of brother and sister who lost their parents suddenly in a massive earthquake. In the aftermath of its own great tragedy, since 2011 Japanese filmmakers created a number of touching, tearful and heartbreaking features that deal with that difficult topic in a more or less intimate manner. Joy of Man's Desiring definitely matches the aforementioned description:

A major earthquake has hit Japan, destroying more than just houses. The dead are buried and the survivors are left among the ruins. 

Shot in tranquil images and using very little dialogue, the film tells the story of two siblings. After the disaster, Haruna and her little brother Sotha are taken in by their aunt and uncle. They have a lovely home where the children can live well. Their loving aunt takes good care of them and their uncle clearly loves having them around. And yet the children are far from happy. 

In order to protect him, the family have decided not to tell little Sotha about his parents' death. But the boy is always asking after Mum and Dad, and often wants to go to the harbour to see if his parents are among the passengers on the ferry. He waits in vain. Haruna is not happy either and doesn't fit in at her new school. She misses her parents and is tormented by the fact that she cannot tell her brother the truth. 

The tension felt by the children spreads to the rest of the family and when things erupt one day, Haruna decides to act.

The film doesn't have a Japanese release date yet. Watch the trailer below!