Composer Pierre Foldes makes a richly rewarding film debut with this animated feature adapted from a collection of short stories by Haruki Murakami. It follows the lives of multiple characters as they navigate post-Tsunami existence and the existential repercussions of urban life, including an unambitious bank employee, his disheartened wife, a delusional accountant, a lost cat and a giant talkative frog. Cleverly weaving together multiple storylines and animation techniques, the film brings Murakami’s playful, surrealist tales to vivid life.

The film was produced using a new technique of “live animation” to striking visual, sound and storytelling results.