A Pale View of Hills

A tender adaptation of Nobel Prize winner Kazuo Ishiguro’s striking debut novel, which unfolds in the shadow of Nagasaki.

Desperate to understand her family’s history in Japan before their move to England, Niki turns to her mother Etsuko, forcing her to confront difficult memories of Nagasaki during World War II. Spanning two timelines and lightly excavating the author’s own family history and cultural heritage, this tale of life under the shadow of the atom bomb is a moving account of the generational impact of war.

Aiko’s sensitive, compelling portrayal of Niki guides us from the present to the past, while Ishikawa’s script and direction subtly capture the nuances of Ishiguro’s 1982 novel, skilfully guiding us through Japan’s tumultuous recent history.